More than a week elapsed since Nandu posted the issue. But none seem to have any clue on the topic leave alone knowledge. Independent nominees (ex-NIOs on statutory bodies)are supposed to defend public interest. However what is happening is that the scientists are nominated through lobbying by their ex-clients (miners, buiders etc). The indebted scientist ensures a safe passage of former’s proposals as a quid-pro-quo. When the politician/businessman rapes Goa, the scientist doctors statutory body concluding not a rape. This is why most PILs fail or languish without decision. Nandu has brought out one of the root cause why activists fail in their attempts in saving Goa. Yet no one responded. It is necessary that all activists study the issue and take corrective action. I see some parallel to above issues in Corporate Governence. I am an investor in equities for the last 30 years and shareholder of almost all the top 50 companies listed on the NSE and therefore I receive hard copies of their Annual Reports, which can also be downloaded from their websites. Each company is supposed to have certain number of independent directors, who take care of interests of the minority shareholders and global depository receipt holders. An elaborate report card, performance and attendance of these independent directors is published in annual reports. I read this section more carefully than balance sheet, P&L account and auditor notes, because it tells me how best my interests are taken care and by whom. The positioning of nominees (ex-NIO, ex-GU etc) on statutory bodies dittos that of independent directors under good corporate governance. The report card of these nominees must be published in news papers atleast once a year. The process of nomination also needs to be transparent with emphasis on objective criterias. There could be many such remedies emanating when people apply their minds. But do not think that this will happen simply. Activists will have to make it happen and election is the best time to get it done. Corporate governance practices did not exist fifteen years ago, even though there were around 2 crore investors in India. But when Foreign Institutional Investors came in, they forced government to adopt corporate governance. Rajendra Kakodkar, In response to: On Tue, 27 Jul 2010 Dr Nandkumar Kamat wrote: My indologist Guru, Dr. Josebab Pereira says, 'THE FORCES DESTROYING GOA ARE MUCH STRONGER THAN I AM' But who are making these forces stronger? Take Retired NIO scientists, who get rehabilitated on statutory posts again and again.
What is striking -there are three retired NIO scientists (one on Goa CZMA, almost a life member; another as chairman GSPCB, and third one recently appointed on state EIA appraisal committee). Nobody sees any conflict of interest, when the issues they handle can make a huge difference for the future of Goa. There are some questions:- 1. How retired scientists from NIO get nominated (sometimes for three terms) as chairman of very powerful statutory Goa state pollution control board? 2. During their working career, they are not known to have taken any position on issues of public interest despite constitution not forbidding them (except Kalidas Sawkar, Antonio Mascarenhas). No conflict of interest when they deal with the same corporate clients for whom they had done paid consultancy work? 3. Favoritism is done when the chairman, GSPCB recommends and appoints NIO scientists on the powerful technical committee of GSPCB making it an all NIO affair. What is their expertise in EIA? Again the technical committee is headed by a retired NIO chemical oceanographer. 4. Can activists (with or without sponsorship from United Churches of Canada, IDRC, Helen Hamlyn Trust etc) justify these nomination? 5. How these people would deal with the projects of their ex corporate clients? It is the total spinelessness of Goa state pollution control board which is responsible for the environmental and ecological tragedy in Goa. All these points were explained to Aleixo Sequiera in April 2010 in presence of Chief town planner and the asst. advocate general of Goa Carlos. The retd. NIO scientist would have seen this as an attempt to create more problems for the government. Why NIO despite funding Rs. 30 lakhs by Goa government for past four years is not submitting "sustainable fisheries policy for Goa"? The deadline is over two years back. The ban on monsoon fishing would be lifted on 31st july. Definitely there are instructions from politicians to paddle slow, because they dislike sustainable fisheries policy, which would reduce the number of fishing vessels and accept voluntary moratoriums on fishing or abide within maximum sustainable yield? - Dr. Nandkumar Kamat, GOA * * * Was life in the *kudds* glamourised? Who said, "It appears that the Goanese (sic) are a roving people, prepared to go to any part of the world for well-paid employment"? How did Goans find their first toehold in the Gulf? Find your answers in Selma Carvalho's *Into the Goan Diaspora Wilderness*. Buy from Broadways Book Centre, Panjim [Ph +91-9822488564] Price (in Goa only) Rs 295. http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/ * * *
