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Protect Goa's natural beauty
Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve
Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php
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Mining, The Elephant In The Room
Mining in Goa is the legacy of the Portuguese, even though the Salazarian rule
left the Goan shore fifty years ago their mining legacy has torn and is still
tearing Goa apart, even to this day. The metals that are derived from this ore
are precious indeed, but though the ore comes out of the earth it's surely not
agriculture. In agriculture we till the earth or mould and enrich the earth and
the earth in return enriches us with food on our plates, but mining on the
other hand, on doubt enriches us and may be more than agriculture,
unfortunately just a drop goes to the public coffers, rest is accumulated by a
select few elite and that too at the cost of obliterating the earth, which as
scientists have proved could be detrimental to the very survival of humanity.
Most of our elite argue that Goa has so far survived only on mining and that if
mining is stopped our economy will suffer. It's like a lot of male cynics who
say, "Women, you just cannot live with them, nor can you live without them",
our elite think mining too is in a similar situation in Goa. No doubt that the
mining industry is an integral part of our economy, some may say it's the back
bone of Goa's economy and they could be right but if reports are to be believed
our economy has been deprived of more than 10,000 crores in just the last five
years and only God knows how much more before that, through illegal mining and
undeclared exported ore and that figure could certainly multiply many times
over in the longer run. 10,000 crores could have certainly brought in a hell of
a lot, of the much needed infrastructural development in Goa but thanks to the
greed of the few elite, we have been deprived of those opportunities.
Even though Goa is just a tiny speck on the Indian map, there is ample
documentary evidence that of the 110 Kms length of Goa around 80 Kms of the
length is a mining corridor on it's eastern front, reports today also show that
mining is rapidly increasing not just in length but in width as well, which in
it self is frightening and should be cause for concern for every Goan, because
in the name of economics Goa could just be turned into one very big crater and
that day is certainly not far away.
Even with all the income generated by mining, is the extent of the devastation
of our ecology and environment justified or can it be justified ? Our
Authorities and think tanks, for the sake of the our "longevity", have to come
up with a solution to protect our already fragile and crumbling ecology and
environment and just economics as the reason for the continued attack on nature
will not be a good enough reason for us, nor for the generations to come. We
need to protect our nature if not for anything else, at least for our very own
survival and the survival of our posterity
A few days back the miners showed their strength on the streets of Panjim as
well as the Mandovi, ofcourse with the money power that the mining elite yield
and whirled; they could buy any amount of support, as was demonstrated, while
the gathered masses said that their livelihood depended on mining I ask, what
about the people living in and around the mining areas whose very lives and
livelihood are at risk too because of mining ? Are they any less humans or less
Goans ? Since when did the value of life become less than the value of
livelihood ? Or what about the irreversible damage that mining has cause to our
ecology and environment ? Are all those involved and depending on mining only
interested in their own livelihood and the rest can go to hell ?
What we need at the moment is a balance between protecting, our resources, our
environment and our economy. First and foremost our ecology and environment
should be our main concern, then stop illegal mining completely and control
legal mining in such a way that it can be phased out, while mining firms
regenerate and maintain green where ever possible by planting trees, woods and
natural parks, in the mean while alternative sources of income and employment
for the involved people should be looked at by the authorities, it will be a
difficult task but certainly not impossible.
As far as problems and issues in Goa are concerned, mining is certainly the
elephant in the room and our Authorities and the government will have to buckle
it up and fast too, to get our priorities right because time is running out and
the more the delay in action the nearer will be the inevitable catastrophe. I
pray that our Authorities be bless with wisdom to right the wrong and save Goa
and Goans from the inevitable. God Bless us all.
Freddy Agnelo Fernandes
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