A person dying in an accident at Dhargal and agitated locals setting two cranes on fire shows the intense discontent that’s brewing inside the hearts of Pednekars, with so called development. The accident was just a reason or a grudge against the government system and the contractor which was brewing long back. The outburst last Friday was the result of it all. Locals assembling on their own without any notice proves how lethal this discontent is. The people working in these areas will have to be cautious of the locals’ wrath in case such incidents happen in the future. This wasn’t the first accident which had happened in the area. One cannot say that there have been no accidents just because the government system doesn’t have it on record.
The people of Pernem are calculating the price which they have to pay for so called ‘development’. If the locals start questioning the benefits they’re going to get from any of the projects, then they cannot be blamed. If they do not do so right now, then they’ll have to face questions from the next generation. All this discontent had started a long time back. The Pernem locals knew that they were being cheated, but they accepted it all as they thought ‘saying no to development would be wrong’.
The locals of Dhargal had long opposed the sports village. The government gave the acquired land straightway to the AYUSH Ministry. The possibility of even a stadium at this place cannot be denied. It is almost clear that either of these projects are not beneficial for the locals in terms of employment. Hence, the Pernem locals have realised that although the development is taking place, they’re not receiving any fruits from it. If they were to ask for justice, the question is to whom do they go to?
It was said that the international airport at Mopa would open the doors of development for Pernem taluka. If one was to calculate who gained the most from this project, then the answer is pretty obvious. Many of the people whose lands were acquired are yet to receive compensation. The government has taken the issue to the court although it was possible to resolve it at land acquisition officers’ level. Hence, the feeling of being deceived is deep rooted among Pernem locals.
The road widening of highways is also another matter that’s causing grave inconvenience to the locals. The work is incomplete and has destroyed local pathways which used to lead to the peoples’ houses. A while back there were rumours that the casinos in Mandovi river would be brought to the Dhargalim area. These rumours were not denied on an official level and so, the Pednekars were angry about that as well. To have anger pertaining to Mopa airport is obvious. Currently the road from Sukekulan to the airport at Mopa has been brought into use after widening the already existing road. The shops on both the sides of this road are now doing good business. The area which used to be quiet by 8 pm at one point of time, is now active and shops are open even past midnight. However, this will stop just in a few months after an elevated link that leads directly to the Mopa airport comes into existence. Hence, it’s highly unlikely that anyone will take the road to the airport which is currently in use. Needless to say, the locals are angry about the construction of this road. Besides, the skirmishes and fights during acquisition of land for this road haven’t gone away the memories yet. The locals have alleged that the water scarcity in the taluka is due to these mega projects.
The locals are at the receiving end whenever mega projects are implemented and Pernem locals are experiencing just that. Usually considered as patient and mature, the incident last Friday signals that the Pernem locals are on the verge of losing their resilience. The government must take a note of this. The common understanding that the government listens only when there’s public outcry should be given a break. The questions can be resolved through communication with the public. The authorities should not test the patience of the locals over and over again. It’d be wise to analyse the Friday incident through the social science point of view or else it will not take long for people to change their perception about people of Pernem.
