FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Jose Maria Miranda
The Covid-19 pandemic, which struck several countries, bringing unexpectedly nearly the whole world to a halt, ought to have made all of us, and particularly those in control of administration to sit up, think and ponder not alone into the possible causes of this catastrophe but more especially into ways and means to tackle this serious problem, having foremost in mind the saving of lives and livelihoods. It was a time for reflection and introspection, but sadly it has been used, by those in power, for deception, treachery and manipulation.
Past non-BJP Governments did also indulge in corruption, nepotism and destruction, but public outcry often deterred them from executing their evil plans, as it happened with Regional Plan, SEZs, etc. Democracy and amenability to public opinion were more evident then. However, the present and past BJP Governments have been highly autocratic, bent upon implementing the destructive ideas of their Delhi masters, particularly the likes of some Maharashtrians, who have still not given up on the expansionist tendencies of their State and hence are trying to pontificate over Goa and avenge the defeat Goans inflicted on them in 1967. Illegitimately grabbing power in Goa and with the brute majority in the Assembly and Parliament, they do not give a hoot to dissenting voices and are determined to advance their own agendas.
In the name of development, tourism and employment, they are trying to destroy our heritage, houses, fields, hills, environment etc and turn Goa into a city like Mumbai, where even a few inches of rain paralyse life and leave a trail of destruction. Thank you, Ministers, we are ok as we are and don’t need the crumbs thrown at us, which will put our health and lives in peril. We are fully conscious of your notion of development, tourism and employment, especially the last. You promise us the moon and yet our job scenario is ever so pathetic and the only beneficiaries are you and your favourite industrialists and vote banks. It is common knowledge how the insatiable greed of political parties and people in power is taken care by the cuts on large projects.
Let us forget for the moment lesser issues like threats of jailing people or filing cases or fining individuals for petty violations, when the Chief Minister himself, his Ministers and MLAs are guilty of similar offences, though there needed to be some semblance of impartiality, fairness and decency, when those in authority themselves set a bad example. Let us forget the reluctance and the alleged rackets in getting our own seafarers back and the nightmare they went through, including the unhygienic accommodation provided to some of them, despite being in paid quarantine. Enough has been said on the shabby treatment meted out to poor migrants returning to their homes. It is sad, however, that people had no qualms in making money out of the misery of the suffering lot, particularly the have-nots.
We are now struggling with hospital facilities and shortly we may run out of beds, as cases are likely to increase due to absence of proper controls on entry into Goa and other preposterous decisions solely aimed at improving the finances of the Government or someone else, despite the spike.
Rs 20 lakhs crores have been allotted to alleviate sufferings due to Covid and thousands of crores collected for the same purpose, through donations which will be out of bounds for an impartial audit. With nothing coming free, except perhaps the treatment of affected patients, the belated free trips home and miserly meals for migrants, with no relief yet for those who have lost jobs, wages or daily earnings and with total lack of transparency in whatever the Government does, particularly when dealing with finances, it is surely an easy guess which coffers are being filled.
A Government, which cares for its citizens, would have put everything else on hold and focused entirely and single-mindedly on how to confront Covid19 and ensure protection and safety of its population. But while not entirely diverting its attention from the pandemic, it is also, cunningly but not surprisingly, in contemptuous and nasty acts of utter cowardice and lack of conviction, trying to fast forward their nefarious plans, confident of people’s reluctance and hesitation to come out and hit the streets in protest. But they were in for a surprise on Tuesday last, when thousands warned of serious consequences if Railways went ahead with double tracking for coal transportation and detrimental to people’s health, besides destruction of heritage houses. Among other projects, which have hit the headlines are 112 proposals for conversion of over five lakh sq. m. of agricultural, orchard, ecologically sensitive and forest-type of land into settlement under Sec 16 (b) of TCP Act and the Nauxi marina with the public hearing scheduled shortly, during this crisis, despite the likelihood of seriously affecting marine biodiversity.
I wish to remind our rulers that illnesses like Covid, cancer and others have taken a toll of precious lives in not too distant past and that God alone knows how many of us and our near and dear ones may perish, in the near future. Let us remember that we reap what we sew and that those who live by the sword die by the sword. Let us not earn curses from present and future generations for the sake of some pennies or clinging
to power. Both good and bad have their reward.
(The author is a retired banker)
