Prior to that, the State played host to the prestigious National Games. The second edition of International Purple Fest is set to return to the capital city next year in January. Other global events such as Serendipity Arts Festival and Sunburn too will be organised in December. Tourism is inarguably the biggest source of revenue for Goa and such events must take place here. There are no two ways about it. Infact, the Chief Minister laid a red carpet for the film industry in Goa during IFFI’s closing ceremony by stating that the State will be creating infrastructure on par with Hollywood standards in the upcoming years.
While the government is busy dreaming about creating glamorous scenarios, one might wonder if locals, farmers, fishermen and small businessmen in rural parts of the State has anyone left to look upto. The people are raising burning issues in the gram sabha meetings and it would be a matter of research how many of those issues are resolved. Pollution in Sal river, for example, is not a new issue. And yet, villagers from around eight villages are at the receiving end of the situation. A bandhara which is built near the wholesale fish market at Suravali to minimise the effect of Sal river’s pollution has in turn affected 60 farmers. Due to the bandhara the polluted water of the river is flowing into the fields which is not only damaging the fertility of the land but is also causing farmers to catch various illnesses. The sources of the wells are also getting polluted due to the same. In short, the entire ecosystem of the area has come under grave danger. Has the government understood the gravity of the issue yet?
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Why is the intensity of pollution not decreasing despite spending so much money from the government coffers? It would not be an exaggeration to say that around 2 lakh sqmetres of agricultural land in Suravali is counting its last days. Considering the hopelessness of the situation, the farmers have almost given up on the possible revival of their farming lands. Locals of Cuncolim are suffering the same fate due to pollution caused by the fishmeal project in Cuncolim industrial project. After enduring it for years, the locals finally showed their resistance in a big way last month after it became impossible to even breathe. After being suddenly woken up, Goa State Pollution Control Board ordered two to three businesses to cease their operations. However, there still is no clarity from the government about a permanent solution over the issue. For how long should people suffer? And why?
There are taps in all the houses but where is Har Ghar Jal? Many locals still have to rely on water tankers. Goa has failed to fully acquire their rightful share of water from the Tillari project even after 35 years. People talk, feel agitated, protest and then forget as they get engaged in finding ways to live their daily life. Insufficient water, pollution, garbage, traffic jams and dug up roads are the ghosts which have been haunting Goenkars for the past several years. Crores of rupees have been spent on waste treatment plants but instead of resolving the garbage issue it has become more complex. It is obvious that waste will pile up in the State with 1.5 million population and visited by around 7 million tourists annually. Not only the authorities have failed to come up with a solid waste management plan but the local governing bodies themselves have found to be dumping waste in the public spaces.
It is only natural for the public to feel upset when the authorities, which are supposed to save them, are the very reason for spreading the hazard. Unfortunately, feeling upset and furious is all that is left with the common people. It takes about an hour to reach Panjim from Porvorim due to traffic congestion. Traffic signals at various places are faulty. The new bridge on the Zuari river was opened for vehicular usage but due to similar faulty signals at Verna and Birla junctions, traffic congestion still remains an issue.
It has been nearly two years since the works related to the Smart City project began and we all know how smartly the works are still going on. When will locals finally get basic facilities? When will life get convenient for people? When will the matter of Kul-Mundkars be resolved? When will farmers and tribals get their rights? When will an all-inclusive resolution come out over comunidades issue?
While huge projects are being announced on one hand, the basic questions remain largely unsolved on the other. The public umbrage then transforms into bitter opposition complicating the development process further. It is agreeable that development and transformation are ongoing processes but there must be a time limitation. Serious brainstorming is required while drafting development plans and to decide which things should be prioritised more. Development policy should possess willingness to battle the challenges such as increasing unemployment, crime rate and rise in migration followed by practical action from the government. Of course, public cooperation is equally important. And for that, the government needs to make sure that they are not crushing anybody while pulling the double-engine train.
