Goa’s Coastline Struggles To Survive
Visionless governments in Goa have allowed the destruction of our beautiful state writes DR. JOE D’SOUSA
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We have not learnt any lessons from the story of the camel in the Arab tent. Migrants, agencies like the Army and Navy as well as the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) are taking over Goa.
Ravi Naik’s blunder – showing pseudo-patriotism by gifting Anjadiv island for the Seabird Naval Base project and getting absolutely nothing in a return for Goans except insults from the army installations in the heart of Panjim city should not be repeated in the case of MPT’s controversial expansion programme.
The MPT authorities are destroying Goa’s coastal ecology, environment and economy in the garb of sectoral pseudo-development that is against the interests of the future generation of Goans. Goa’s politicians must not fall prey to the wiles of MPT Chairman Praveen Agarwal, who’s interest is solely to acquire ‘port-prosperity’.
At an annual press meet in April last, I had requested Praveen Agarwal for all the environment impact assessment reports of his ambitious expansion projects. He readily agreed and directed his subordinates to hand them over within a week. Two months down the line, nothing seems to be forthcoming. My fears that the MPT is planning an ambitious destruction of the Goan coastline and its beaches without taking into account the long term interest of Goa and Goans are becoming a reality.
The expansion of the port by 12 lakh sq metres for additional facilities for bulk cargo handling, ship building facilities, marina, dry docks, graving docks, cruise terminals, ferry terminals and mooring dolphins, would only encourage massive unskilled migration into Goa.
Successive governments in Goa have failed to realise that the more MPT is allowed to grow, less and less of our beaches will survive. Studies telecast by NDTV a few months ago have clearly depicted that the expansion of ports leads to erosion of beaches and ‘accretion of sand’ in rocky shores around these man made structures. This will adversely affect Goa’s beach tourism.
Haphazard mining is already destroying Goa’s ecology and economy. It is making Goa a water-deficient state, as mining in Goa is below the water table. MPT accelerates this destruction of Goa by acting as the catalyst responsible for exporting 40 million tonnes of iron ore each year. This reduces the Earth’s water holding capacity, as iron ores aquifers retain and supply water in the form of fresh water springs and streams.
The ambitious growth plans of handling larger quantities of coke from the present 5.61 million tonnes would steadily make Goa into a ‘black state’ full of coke dust and tar balls. Presently, only Vasco-ites are shouting themselves hoarse about the respiratory problems caused by coal dust. The four- or six-laning of Goa’s roads with easy access to the MPT would allow dissemination of coal and coke dust across the length and breath of Goa.
MPT’s expansion plans are likely to destroy fragile areas, massive displacement of population, affecting Goa’s demography, as well as cause massive dust and air and sea pollution, affecting tourist activities along the northern and southern coast, as many beaches in Goa are in the MPT’s close proximity.
Why do we do not have knowledgeable people with vision in charge of Goa’s environment? The Goa Pollution Control Board (GPCB) doesn’t see as its mandate to understand or nip in the bud MPT’s deleterious plans, which is work for its own sectoral gain, but against the holistic development of our society.
Goa is used by Israeli defence personnel for rest and relaxation (R&R) after a strenuous mandatory stint in the Army. MPT now wants to create port facilities for the docking of American ships, so US military personnel can get R&R. From the Philippines, Thailand and even Okinawa in Japan, we know what sex-starved US military personnel have done to their culture and morality. Praveen Agarwal is a non-Goan. He cares two hoots about what happens to Goa and Goans, once hordes of US soldiers come to Goa for R&R.
What former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar sought to destroy in Baina, Praveen Agarwal seeks to bring back. MPT alone would benefit. Baina would be forever closed to Goans, except those who would like to pimp and prostitute before cash-rich, sex-starved visitors; thanks to the squinted vision of Praveen Agarwal. Little wonder that he failed to send me the EIA reports of his port expansion plans!
In the garb of employment and development, visionless governments in Goa in quick succession have allowed the destruction of our beautiful state and its naïve inhabitants. The polluted waters of the Mormugao Port are steadily spreading as far as Arambol in the North and Poinguinim in the South. Skin cancers and other physiological ailments, owing to the growth in tar balls that result from surreptitious release of spent fuel and lubricants by ships in the MPT command area should be our concern.
It is high time that the local government constitutes a committee of environmentalists, scientists and alert citizenry to inspect the MPT’s new plans and alert the government if they are detrimental to the coastal ecology and the sustainability of our economy. It is more than likely that the changing face of the Mormugao Port as it expands will have adverse consequences on our marine ecosystem.
Over the last few years, the MPT has quietly built three giant ‘mooring dolphins’ in Goan waters off the port berths, to handle increasing cargo and ship berthing. These man-made structures further extend MPT’s activities, both inland and into the sea.
To taunt the state government, Praveen Agarwal has raised the issue of the grounded ship River Princess, which has been slowly eroding a part of the beach at Sinquerim. But, if the MPT’s Baina Bay project is implemented, it would instantly concretise the entire Baina Beach, which would completely vanish in a stroke. Besides, it would destroy the beautiful Pequeno Island, which should be a nature reserve, adversely affect the sea current flow, cause massive erosion, alter the denudation and deposition patterns along our coasts and, with time, force many more of our beautiful beaches to be washed away and vanish.
The Goa government seems likely to allow the MPT’s mindless expansion through the tacit blessings of a few individuals at the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). Through default, the NIO may seem to bless the ambitious MPT expansion, preparing the short term environmental assessment reports that allow funds, fees and freebies to a handful of individuals. That one Capt Mehta – notoriously known to cause the wanton destruction of mangroves exposed by Herald recently – is tacitly involved with certain individuals from the surveyors group of NIO responsible for mapping of the Goan coastline HTL project is a closely guarded secret. This is worthy of investigation by Goan environmentalists.
Would Goans care to listen and act?
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Playing Second Fiddle
By Auriel Ribeiro Sa
Someone asked a famous conductor of a great symphony orchestra which instrument he considered the most difficult to play. The conductor thought a moment, and then said: “Second fiddle. I can get plenty of violinists. But to find one who can play second fiddle with enthusiasm – that’s a problem. And if we have no second fiddles, we have no harmony.”
In every home, office or public place where a group of people get together to create something new, there are people who are called to play ‘second fiddle’.
Take the home arena for instance. The wheels of the house run smooth because of a wife or mother . Harmony in the home can be rightfully attributed to her patient humble service. Although she may sometimes nag her husband within the four walls of their humble abode, you will rarely hear her speak against him when they are at a party or any such public gathering. She will grab every opportunity to praise him to the skies and will accept his condescending remarks with the grace of a well-seasoned martyr. A good wife knows how to create harmony by playing the second fiddle to the hilt.
We see the same scene at the work place. The workers, peons, janitors, deliverymen all serve the purpose of second fiddles. They weave their invisible selves into the tapestry of every day routine; without them, the CEOs and Managers would be stumped. Every time the workers’ union decides to go on strike, management gets into a tizzy. Each unproductive day costs big bucks. So you see, our second fiddles at the workplace create the much-needed harmony, after all.
Happy is the second fiddle, then, who knows he’s a second fiddle and accepts his role with enthusiasm, taking the cue from his conductor and creating harmony in the Orchestra of Life. He has the best quality that God looks for in his creation – Humility! He works, not for fame or money, but out of an inner desire to be one with his group.
To take them to greater heights. And when the stage is lit and the leaders strut the ramp to take their bows, the ‘second fiddle’ sits in the corner of the stage, manning the curtains.
For him, there is not much gain except his pay packet, but, because of him, everyone profits and there is prosperity all round. Take him out of the equation and what have you? Utter chaos! Only Noise!
So it is time we salute the second fiddles in our homes, our place of work and in the public arena. Smile and say a Good Morning or Namaste to your peon or janitor today. Learn the name of your garbage collector. Visit your maid at her home some day soon. Give your postman a glass of cool water or sherbet as you enquire about his work.
The municipal workers are busy digging trenches to combat the ensuing monsoons. Stop and show genuine interest in their work and supply them with hydrating fluids as they slog in the scorching summer sun. Don’t wait for annual festivals to give them that much-awaited ‘Bakshish’.
Lastly, don’t forget to acknowledge your wife’s contribution in making your home a heaven on earth. Treat her to a special outing, just you and her, and shower her with daily doses of love and appreciation. Help her complete her tiring and tiresome chores quickly so the two of you can spend some ‘We’ time together.
And if you are a second fiddle, play your piece with enthusiasm; create soulful music for your Creator. And if you feel no enthusiasm right now, motivate yourself by fine-tuning your strings. For without you, there is no harmony. If music be the food of love, play on.
