Goa is sinking with the floods because you have destroyed open spaces and farmlands
We have recently seen pictures of politicians wading in the water to “inspect” the flooded homes of people. People are getting rescued and we say that Goa has seen the worst floods in 40 years. But it is the politicians and their policies of making Goa a concrete jungle that has led to a direct effect in high density towns and villages, and spilling over to adjoining areas.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
We have not seen the worst floods. WE HAVE DONE THE WORST FOR GOA BY TAMPERING WITH THE BASIC NATURE OF GOA.
The builder lobby and other lobbies that have huge amounts of cash at their disposal like mining lobbies with interests in real estate. They don’t just buy real estate with it. They buy decisions and policies.
SO HOW IS REAL ESTATE AND CONCERETE LINKED TO FLOODS? WHAT ARE THE STEPS?
This is how the lobby works along with politicians. There is a dangerous move to make the whole of Goa concrete, take away the essence of Goan life by converting all rural areas under the umbrella of the Outline Development Plan. This will mean that Planning and Development Authorities will plan the whole of Goa, without any real consultation with the people and local bodies.
The government has already prepared its recipe for high rise buildings in ODP areas of Goa by simply increasing concrete through real estate. It has then kept on widening ODP areas by including beautiful pristine villages into ODP zones. It has then added new zones in ODPs with additions to the Floor Area Ratio and opened up the whole of Goa for destruction.
In 2018 the Goa Land Development and Building Construction (Amendment) Regulations, 2018, two additional land use zones tot eh ODP – a Special Residential Zone and Special Commercial Zone having FAR of 200 and 300 respectively – were added.
A LICENCE TO RECKLESSLY BUILD HIGH RISES HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE BULDING LOBBY FROM OUTSIDE GOA AS WELL AS GOAN BUILDERS
Take the recently notified portion of the ODP of the Greater Panjim Planning and Development Authority and check the plan for Bambolim and St Cruz (see map in this article) On top of the map see two portions marked in Orange (residential). The portion on the left is large stretch with a strip of green and a portion of blue. The patch right next to it in the extreme north east corner is all orange with one strip of green (special commercial) according to a lawyer who has filed cases related to ODPs and knows the area well. This is a hilly fragile area behind the University on the main highway side. This portion has been converted to residential and super commercial. Please note that there is an orchard land passing right through the middle. And there is also a strip of blue a little below which is Special Commercial Zone with an FAR of 300.
So who will build here?
It is reliably learnt that a big industrial magnate owned corporate with interests in mining activities is planning a massive residential mini township in the residential area.
Goans need to know who did the land belong to. How was it bought? Were the right permissions taken? But then if you make the rules only to favour builders they will always be “within the rules” and yet destroy Goa.
Can you imagine what this fragile hilly area overlooking the valley and the Zuari below will look like when construction starts?
How is real estate destroying Goa? Our catchment areas are shrinking as buildings are made on farms. There is no place for the water to flow. This causes flooding
Real estate built around and mainly on farmland is destroying farms and low-lying areas. It is also destroying khazans. Khazans and agricultural areas were not just meant for cultivation but there were spaces where water could flow into. This is how Goa’s land always was. In harmony with nature, and the topography of the land. This has not been destroyed. It has been murdered. Our land has been looted and killed.
What effect is it having on our farms?
When you have buildings next to farmland, and this has been witnessed in Taleigao, excess rainfall seeps into the ground water. Due to this the sewage sumps overflow leading to the spillage of sewage outside the tanks. With hundred of flats in each high-rise building, you can imagine the sewage generated each day. This sewage then seeps into the spoil and the adjoining fields and farms. Local farmers have confirmed that during the monsoons, black sewage filled water flows into the fields. This not only affects crops but is leading to skin infections and diseases among farmers.
Goan farmers are moving out of farms. Is this what Goans want? No farms and high-rise buildings?
Is this a future that you want? Will you ask those who come to you for your vote or support whether they want a future of Goa to be full of high rises or farms. Will sons of the soil, our farmers have a chance to do their farming activity and live well? Or will we have to surrender to the builder lobby like in Taleigao where every new building including the community hall and the forthcoming new panchayat building is on farm land?
Do you want every place to be like this when farmers instead of looking at the sky, the sun and the stars, see huge buildings around them? And you call this “development?”
One state one plan is the answer
There should be one plan for the whole of Goa taking into account the nature of land use that was originally there that our forefathers enjoyed. The basis of this plan was that the original identity of that particular area should remain constant and the natural eco system cannot be destroyed. For example, Ribandar had salt pans, St Cruz had mangroves (not big residential buildings built by builders with mining interests), Saligao and Guirim had pristine fields, Curtorim has and had paddy fields. In place of this do you want double decker buses ferrying people going to work in high rise buildings through narrow roads?
Do you want garbage, sewage, broken glass in the sea, destroyed farms and fields to be the future that your children see? If not then have one plan which pays respect to local needs.
The concrete castles that are being built is changing the nature of Goa and traditions and culture
A new class of new people are coming to live in the flats in the high-rise buildings. And with it is the shrinking of our local culture, customs and traditions. Some call it cosmopolitan. But the rest of India does not come here to get cosmopolitan culture. Goa is unique because it is different. Its culture, character and fabric are different. Now the rest of the country wants a piece of Goa. But then Goa cannot be changed into a piece like the rest of India. What happens to the uniqueness of Goa then?
So come to Goa for your peace of mind but not for a piece of Goa, unless you respect Goa’s identity.
No Goan politician with an interest in land for commercial reasons and interested in selling Goa should come to power
People of Goa must demand this from those who come to them for votes. If a politician is a land shark or a builder wanting to sell Goa for his business interests, he should be rejected because such politicians when they become MLAs will never make laws that are people friendly but builder friendly. They will take your votes and sell Goa and destroy all that your forefathers fought for.
It is your duty, Goans therefore to select people who really care for Goa. Do not select jokers or else you will only see a circus.
