Dear Saligaonkars,
Confucius is believed to have written,"The superior man seeks what is right.
The inferior one, what is purely profitable." (He obviously never imagined his
own country would one day appear to the world as standing on the wrong side of
his famous truism!)
As the debate on the infamous mobile phone tower progresses, it becomes
clearer with every mail I read, that:
this is a struggle between truth and falsehood…..
a struggle between the pawns of powerful global mobile phone companies and the
local community…..
between a plea for fairness and the adamancy of greed….
between a genuine concern for the future of the people, including innocent
children in the schools in the area around the site and the sheer arrogance
of those who dismiss this genuine concern of the community as irrelevant to
their business venture….
between short term monetary gain and long term irreversible damage to human
health and the environment….
between the frustration of guilt which follows falsehood and the composure of
patience which is inspired by the truth…
I am sure you will draw the same conclusions from the information that has
been uploaded on the Saligaonet so far by Rico and others, regarding:
· the possible harmful effects of Mobile Phone Towers installed in
densely populated areas based on studies done in India and abroad. (It is
common knowledge that companies involved in the business, including our own
home- grown one, are known to rubbish such studies.)
· the basic ethics of Planning for Community Development (which appears
to have been the last thing on the minds of our budding entrepreneurs!)
· the hidden risks involved in leasing out one’s land to mobile phone
companies (especially when one fails/refuses to read the fine print before
signing the document)
· the manner in which the current, supposedly ‘Green’ business venture
was planned systematically, over a whole year without consulting the
neighbouring residents, (fearing a repetition of what happened to similar
illegal ventures in Aldona and other villages perhaps…)
· the shocking manner in which the owners of the land ignored the
repeated requests by the community, to stop the work on their property till a
safe alternative site was identified. (It is obvious now that there was never
any risk of them shifting to a safer site, because while they sent the
community on a wild-mongoose-chase for a safe alternative, they continued, and
still continue to construct.)
· the fact that people all over the world, and on Obama’s planet
America too, are expressing grave concern over the silent human health hazards,
and damage to other creatures and the environment due to continuous, long term
exposure to even very low levels of radiation, (our local scientists are
willing to take on the entire world and of course even Obama’s planet America
and its informed inhabitants, to challenge this global concern. They obviously
learned no lessons from the fate of the late Marlborough Man. Bless him!).
As this very important debate goes on, and as the Mobile Men ‘radiate’ arrogant
confidence while they continue to construct furiously over the election
weekend, (such a common weekend past-time in glorious Goa today, unlike the
cruel cock–and-bull fighting of the past!) I must admit, there hasn’t been a
dull moment in Saligao these past few weeks!
Let me end with the words of Thomas Jefferson, “Our greatest happiness does not
depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always
the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all
just pursuits.”
And may the best candidates win the election, and may truth and a better sense
prevail.
Cheers!
Alice.
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