Goa was all about peace loving contented people (Susegado), a tranquil unspoiled environment with abundance of natural beauty, and an absence of population pressure. The culture is distinctively ‘relaxed’ unlike the rest of India. The image of Goa holds a strong mysticism, an enigmatic charm, and a sense of freedom and ‘unconventional’ style of dress. It is not without reason that Goa, an area of just 3,702 sq km, and a former Portuguese Colony (Goa joined the Indian Union in December 1961) is considered one of India’s most loved destinations. It boasts 125 kilometres of beaches, 11 rivers interconnected by canals, inland lakes, bays, lagoons and creeks, waterfalls, temples, mosques and churches, 23 forts, over a dozen museums, seven wildlife sanctuary and several heritage homes.
Goa is a serene and scenic place for all types of holiday travellers the budget backpacker or a family or a couple looking for a romantic getaway. Of late, even the corporate DOS also bring high volume of MICE business (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions). Goa’s attractiveness for destination weddings or honeymoon, or for a vacation is well known but it comes not without ecological and environmental stress. It is a major contributor to the State GDP and foreign currency earnings. It has given impetus to local economy, including the hospitality and entertainment industry.
The Unintended Consequences
There have also been unintended consequences: rampant alcoholism and drug abuse, gambling and prostitution. The past 3-4 years data shows per capita human trafficking of women for commercial sexual exploitation is highest in comparison to other States.
The inexorable spate of tourists across the year has now stretched the resources, leading to inadequate waste disposal, dumping of garbage, pollution litter at beaches and rampant violation of illegal tenements around the sensitive coastal areas, including land erosion. The deterioration of groundwater and over-fishing, and harm to endangered species (sea turtles), indiscriminate mining and loss of bio-diversity are some of the added impacts. While Goa’s geographical location improves domestic demand for tourism, it has also led to a large influx of labour from adjacent States.
With rampant growth in burgeoning and often inchoate tourism the local Goan experiences a “creeping expropriation” and violation of regulations and overdevelopment of coastal belt and a feeling of being pushed out, with mushrooming hotels taking control across the beach, once freely accessible and used by locals for generations. A strong anti-tourism activism has given rise in raising issues on both domestic and international tourists, unplanned growth; the use of State machinery to promote tourism, which is perceived as distorting the image of the Goan society.
With Goa being seen as an attractive second home option for Indians, with unintended consequence of ‘what happens in Goa stays in Goa’ type of behaviour, it has added to reduced value system that traditional Goa stood for. It stood for fun, and not for immorality. It stood for relaxation, but not for abandoned laziness. Ironical that the ‘Golden Goa’ narrative showcases live demonstrations of fishermen, toddy tappers, potters, and Goan folk dancing, a staged authenticity, leading to a farcical conclusion. It is indeed ironical that the Goan village life portrayed has, been removed to make way for resorts yet a grand narrative marches on for ascendency with petrified culture: an ossified image of Goa appropriately set in stone.
Vikas & Vilas debate
The word – Vilas – in Portuguese means Towns. In Hindi, it means enjoyment or luxury. For a State that seems to offer Vilas for its tourist visitors, it also has to offer Vikas (meaning development) for its locals. And such a development has to be inclusive and sensitive to nature as well. We won’t be the first, and sadly won’t be the last to worry about the impact of unbalanced growth in Goa.
Few years ago, it was the mining boom and wealth creation (probably for select few) created a class of “Mining Dependents”, who abandoned agriculture for better economic prospects. It came with its own issues of health and social concerns. There is also a deeper concern that the various infrastructure projects of late, have given way to depletion of natural habitats. Have we gone too far in the move for civic development, at the cost of civil (society) improvement? Where is our empathy for nature, other humans and living beings, and to our cultural moorings? For if we don’t act now towards better behaviour, we might become our own casualty.
This type of development is deaf to the voices of local people, unless confronted by direct and organised resistance and support of local media. The absence of active involvement of the citizenry in the policy decision-making process is clearly felt. As Indians, we display a ‘chalta hai’ attitude, which prevents us from pursuing excellence, and which seeks to condone one’s own action – “sab karte hai, Chalta hai” (everyone is doing it, so it’s alright), and or making unfair comparisons – ‘look at them…see what they have done…’. This is one way of rationalising for ‘deviance’ of one’s own behaviour.
As in the past, Letters to the Editor continue lamenting on the pitiable absence of motorable roads in some areas, also potholed roads, a danger to causing accidents, the discharge of waste into rivers, absence of support to a rising elderly population, exploitation of ground water beyond the threshold, and many more issues. What’s the way out?
The answer, my friend, is somewhere amidst the breeze. If we can balance the 3 Es of Goa – empathy, ecology, economy, we can just be. For the land of sun and sand, also needs societal-sustainability.
(Steve Correa is an Executive Coach and HR Consultant, who has had over three decades of corporate experience. He is author of, The Indian Boss at Work: Thinking Global Acting Indian. Sage Publisher. Srinath Srinivasan is a Corporate Advisor)
