Padma Shri Shekhar Pathak in 2020 observed that floods have been a part of the natural system of the earth from the earliest times, along with earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, hurricanes and tsunamis. However, since the introduction of agriculture and urbanisation, human activity has been directly contributing towards floods. He said that man-made structures such as dams and barrages, hydropower projects, unsustainable mining, deforestation, catchment degradation and encroachments in the riverbeds and climate change have also contributed to the cause and nature of floods.
The country has once again witnessed floods across the States from North to South and East to West. One common reason for the vast damage and destruction has been attributed to the blockage to pathways of the water. Rainwater gushes down the hills and when blocked by human intervention, creates its own path, not necessarily following the human directions. Goa too in the last two months has witnessed incessant rains breaking all known records of precipitation within the time span. However, it is also true that almost across the State, rainwater has led to inundation and flooding as its path has either been blocked or there is only so much that could flow into the rivers as the riverbeds are full of silt and debris that have flown all along the path of the rainwater.
Goan rivers have not been dredged for decades, even as dredging forms an important tool to ensure the smooth flow of water from the river into the sea. Dredging also facilitates smooth sailing for vessels ensuring ease of transportation and business. Dredging also ensures that the marine ecosystem is able to replenish and the silt and debris of ‘human development’ are extracted from the riverbed. However, despite several demands from villagers living along the river banks and the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) for dredging the rivers in the State, there has been no step forward in this regard from the authorities. The result has been widespread inundation of fields and low lying areas which have become flood-prone. Farmers cultivating their fields in the vicinity of the river banks have faced the wrath of the rainwater. Guirim and Siolim are two examples of the failures of the authorities to timely intervene and ensure that the rivers are dredged and desilted.
While, the dredging tender was floated by the Captain of Ports last year to dredge River Tar, the work of dredging did not see the light of day despite the tender asking that the work be completed before the monsoon this year. On the other hand, when Siolim fields got inundated due to heavy spell of rains, authorities moved into action and began to dredge low lying fields to make pathways for the rainwater, which farmers feared would only further aggravate their problems.
While demands for dredging and desilting have been falling on deaf ears, some hinterland riverbeds are being ‘dredged’ for accumulating wealth. Sand mining has been one of the most debated topics within and outside the Assembly, but the illegal sand extraction continues unabated. This selective ‘dredging’ for making quick bucks has been a source of destruction of nature. There have been High Court directions which have not been met by the authorities concerned and the natural resource is being exploited without much of a hassle by those willing to pay under the table and behind the curtains to be facilitated the opportunity to carry on with the business as usual.
While sand is being extracted illegally at selective spots, Goan rivers that have been dying for attention, have been neglected. Even the two major rivers, Mandovi and Zuari, have been dealt with the same fate. As a result, the low lying areas along the rivers face the dangers of inundation. The capital city of Panjim, despite all so-called efforts has never been able to ensure a flood-free monsoon. Without doubt there are loopholes in the local administration’s execution of premonsoon and round-the-clock development works.
The State administration has a two-fold task at hand to ensure smooth flow of rainwater into the sea and avoid future flooding of plains on the riverbanks. The government first has to undertake scientific dredging of the rivers across the State to ensure public safety; and, secondly, the illegal ‘dredging’ - the sand mining - has to stop inorder to ensure that uncontrolled human intervention does not cause a catastrophe.