Rapidly Undermining Goa
Where is the social responsibility?
The recent amendment to Section 16 of the Goa Town & Country Planning Act,
1974, to exempt projects and works of Central government and State government
from conforming to the Regional Plan is the proverbial last straw that broke
the camels back. Surprisingly, this event occurred even without the mock
dhirio in Penha de France last March. The Task Force on the Regional Plan
2021 was effectively bypassed, nay dispensed of its Vas deferens, under local
anesthesia. It watched as helplessly as the people of Goa used to watch rape of
their land by builders and mine owners, under the sterilized garb of
development, until their political vasectomy was clinically reversed by the
73rd amendment to the Constitution of India
A local newspaper wrote thus: GBA insiders say that the government weakened
the Task Force mandate with this Bill. That is a misconception or, rather, a
non-conception. Vasectomy does not weaken the individual; it merely renders him
impotent to perpetuate his species. The eunuch is as sturdy as the individual
he was before. In fact, it is said that there is a vast difference between the
stallion and the gelding. The gelding is not just stronger, he is also better
behaved. Castration was a recommended practice among domestic boars, horses and
harem keepers. During the era of the Adilshah, Panjk-hallis Palacio de Idalcao
boasted of some great harem keepers. They were fit as a fiddle, but minus one
string. They had an important Task to perform and were a force to reckon
with. History tells us that the building that houses the present day
Directorate of Accounts, or the erstwhile Fazenda, was their territory.
The much maligned Mormugao Port Trust [MPT] authorities have been better than
the Aam Admi Government and decided not to go ahead with their proposal to
construct cruise terminal at Vasco bay and relocate fishing jetty at Vaddem
following the opposition from the local people, but to build such a facility to
the west of breakwater.
According to Dr. Claude Alvares, the first mining lease in Goa was operated
in 1929, though most iron ore mines became operational in the 1950s and some
leases were never mined. Now, in addition to these 700-odd leases there are 480
applications for fresh prospecting in Goa. No mine is prevented from obtaining
Environmental Clearance, even if all the villagers gather at the "Public
Hearing" and unanimously oppose the operation of the lease. This is not
democracy, said Dr. Claude Alvares. However, this is todays reality in Goa.
Mr. Ramesh Gawas, a school teacher in Bicholim taluka's mining belt and an
activist involved in the "Save Vatadev" campaign to protect one of the last
frontiers of Mother Nature from the onslaught of mining, says that mining will
desertify the green hills for ever. Says he, "We are not fighting against the
mine-owners only. Make no mistake. When one fights against the mines, one
actually challenges the State that backs the mining industry to the hilt."
Yogita Mehra, Associate Fellow of TERI [The Energy & Resources Institute],
Goa presented the findings of a Goa government funded research project Iron
Ore Mining In Goa. The report deals with governance in mining that includes
the policies and management decisions of the various stakeholders like the
Government authorities, the mining companies the Panchayati Raj
Institutions[PRIs] and Civil Society Organisations [CSOs] that impact on the
quality of life in the mining areas and the state.
The report concludes that there is poor to no monitoring and enforcement of
the laws governing mining operations and a total lack of policy. In fact, the
Governments are at the mercy of powerful mining lobby that has a tremendous
economic clout in Goa .
In the above scenario, the mining companies adopt ad hoc solutions to the
issues raised by the people from time to time. There is inadequate management
of the rejection dumps and ore stacks. The problems are aggravated by the
outsourcing of transport [trucks, barges, etc] with no responsibility for
damage done by the BPO units that may be ill-equipped to deal with issues like
ore spillage on the roads, dust pollution, road accidents, etc. The companies
generally suffer from a lack of a clearly defined policy. The whole industry is
driven by a desire to maximize profitability with little, if any, sense of
corporate responsibility.
The local community is not without blame. Neither the PRIs nor the local
community organizations have a long term vision for the village and its people.
They are happy with the ad hoc compensation with not a thought spared for what
happens when mining operations stop at some point in the future, as has
happened for a number of mines operated in the 1950s and 1960s, that are being
re-started now. The local community is not educated on the laws of the land and
is easily tempted by incentives like vehicle loans and transportation contracts.
We have two persons who have done their doctoral research on re-vegetation of
mining dumps in Goa. One is at Goa University while the other is in the Forest
Department. There is one classic case of fully re-vegetated mining rejection
dump at Sanquelim/Virdi. It is just 40 Km from Panaji and has been visited by
journalists of the Sanguem-Quepem Patrakar Sangh recently. Perhaps, other
people need to see what a mining company can do if it has the will and the
desire.
We will witness the firewalkers of Sirigao on the just before dawn on 09 May.
The festival is of godess Lairaiee, a form of Earth goddess Sateri or Santeri
worshipped as the formless anthill. Lairaiee is associated with the Sapta
Matrika worship. It may be good to connect with it before the destruction of
the earth, begun since iron ore was discovered in the late 1920s, is complete.
Miguel Braganza
This article has appeared in the GT on 02 May, 2008
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