Any change begins with a murmur which builds up into a bit of a wave and then a crescendo. With elections effectively a year away, protest movements against several decisions of the BJP government are building up. And while the ruling party’s ground appears to be slipping, an alternate movement to take that space hasn’t quite emerged. However, though important, an alternate formation, or the Congress’ attempts at revival, are medium term possibilities. The immediate, movement is that of the people, rising once again, in coastal and hinterland villages, on key emotive and non-negotiable issues, that matter, especially to South Goa. These uprisings will form the core narrative in the run up to 2017.
This weekend, among a host of gram sabha meetings, the one at Chicalim stood out in terms of its decisiveness, relative to its timing. In a refreshing synergy between a genuine citizens movement, the gram sabha and the village panchayat, the proposal of the Chicalim Villagers Action Committee (CVAC) to unitedly oppose the Marina project at Sancoale, is commendable.The Marina project, has been pushed through by the Investment Promotion Board, inspite of a negative report by the State Bio-Diversity Board and the refusal of the Pollution Control Board to give the project “consent to establish” under the Air and Water Act.
The issue will have political ramifications, with the Environment Minister and local MLA Alina Saldanha who is opposing the project, completely slighted, as both the Bio-Diversity Board and the Pollution Control Board come under her department, but it is indeed a positive sign that the opposition has been genuinely led by the people and not politicians.
The movement against the marina has been further spurred by an opinion page article in Herald written by eminent scientist, formerly of the NIO Dr Antonio Mascarenhas (Friday April 24), where he clearly outlines the grave damage to the fragile eco system of the area, if the marina is allowed. Dr Mascarenhas said that the area which has eco-sensitive mud flats within a river system falls under CRZ 1 and no interference is permitted in such environments. Moreover with mangrove marsh adjacent to a saline river, the whole area falls under a no development zone. All this was bypassed, as the Marina backed by the Chowgule’s, and supported by the Mormugao Port Trust was cleared through the newly formed Investment Promotion Board whose mandate is investment, not ecology. But should investment be even at the cost of ecology? The businessmen who call the shots at IPB surely think so and the Chief Minister of Goa obviously concurs.
But Goa’s industry captains will not be under people’s fire. The Chief Minister and his government will be, with the environment minister clapping on the sidelines egging the people on. The opposition to the project will focus on not just ecology but livelihoods and futures and ask what will be the fate of local fishermen? A project which does not answer these questions cannot be signed off by an investment promotion board which is not accountable to the people. People want participation in such decisions. But the government is afraid that such participation may spell doom for investment.
Meanwhile, the pro-Dabolim movement to retain Dabolim as Goa’s only airport is gathering steam again with the same Chicalim gram sabha adopting a resolution to fight to retain Dabolim as Goa’s only airport followed by the first of the three meetings this week, to be addressed by the Goa for Dabolim Only Convenor Father Eremito Rebello at Dabolim on Monday. The new surge has the backing of the Church with the Parish Priest of the Chicalim Church, Fr Eufemiano de Jesus Miranda, speaking at the Monday meeting, where he supported the movement of the Chicalim villagers and said that he wanted to make people aware “that the state BJP government is lying to the people” (that Dabolim and Mopa would both function).
Moving on to another issue in the same area, the gram sabha members of Chicolna-Bogmalo, were the first to independently form a panel of local experts to study the Regional Plan 2021, as they were tired of waiting for the government to get the gram sabhas to deliberate, discuss and vote on their village plans, as promised by former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. It will be very encouraging if more village panchayats take the cue and follow the lead given by the gram sabha members of the Chicolna-Bogmalo panchayat. That will be a strong response to Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza’s, move to clear the Regional Plan in phases, by activating those plans of villages where there are no objections. This is farcical since almost every village has objections to its village plan under RP-2021. Before the anti-people route planned by the Deputy Chief Minister is opened up, villages should form their own local panels to list their objections afresh.
The broad picture for the BJP to take note, is that people are rising, the villages have woken up and anti- people decisions will be dealt with through concerted peoples action which Herald will back to the fullest.
