counter reactions, demonstrations and yatras with various matters very dear to their hearts. It looks like a strategy followed by the Government to finish with Goans and whatever is linked to them like land, coconut trees. And now various animals are to be declassified and called vermins because they have become a nuisance to the people. Some people will back the Government on this issue like those who have openly come in support of declassification of the coconut tree. Others will also come to support the Government to finish our rich biodiversity. Some have even suggested that stray dogs be classified as “vermin”.
I will fully support the Government on this issue – but not without asking a fundamental question which also the legislators, who led the “maad yatra” from Pernem to the south of Goa, will have to answer.
All the past centuries we have respected the coconut tree as a tree. It is also universally known as a tree and not as a palm. How and why did the problem arise only now to declassify it? Is there a need to declassify it in order to cut down a coconut tree? Couldn’t we just exclude it from the list of trees that require permission to be cut as done in other states, rather than declassify it and create an unnecessary controversy?
All these animals proposed to be declassified and to be called “vermins” have formed part of our Goan flora and fauna for centuries together. We never asked any permission from any authority to hunt these animals when they caused nuisance to the people including to kill a dog, although now for the last 15 years it has been made illegal. On the contrary stray dogs were shot down by a designated Government dog shooter. People will still remember Mr Alexandre Pregal, who even in the mid eighties did this job officially. Have we ever raised this question as to why only now there is need to call them “vermins” in order to kill them? And will the answer to that be “the Government itself has become a nuisance”?
I said earlier that I will fully support the Government in finishing the animals which have become a nuisance. But nobody questions why these animals have become a nuisance only today? Where are all the animal lovers today? Do they only intend to fight for the dogs and the bulls? What about preservation of our entire bio-diversity? Who will fight for this? Who has allowed the forests, the habitat of these animals, to be cut down? They were living peacefully in these forests and rarely encroached into the villages. If I am thrown out of my house, will I not be on the streets?
These animals have been thrown out of their natural habitats (their homes), first due to mining lobby and now the builders’ and developers’ lobby in the new RP-21, and they have become a nuisance for the common man in many villages. They have invaded the villages where little greenery is seen and they have created havoc by destroying whatever people grow in the villages. It is a total imbalance in the nature and the bio-diversity board has so far not uttered a word to denounce or oppose it. Will the people take the Government to Court? And will at least the Courts hear the cries of the people and also of these animals? Today they are playing havoc with people’s agriculture.
In one village where wild boars were never seen have destroyed coconut trees. In another place there was this case of a monkey attacking a JCB operator and not allowing him to destroy the trees. Although they cannot speak, aren’t these signs that they are asking us “where do we go?” Are the Government/ people sensitive to this issue? Tomorrow they will attack human beings and the Government will compensate them with tax payer’s money. Where are we heading to? Isn’t it towards total self-destruction? Will the Government answer?
Those who are living in Goa for the past 70 to 80 years will know that Goans were a peaceful, “susegado” (not lazy), well mannered, decent, hospitable people. Goans were not rich, but they were managing their daily life hassle free working hard, tilling their land and earning their daily bread. The Government was hardly interfering with them. There was minimum Government in Goa before 1961. The Government was only exercising supervisory powers to see that the few existing laws were adhered to. That is why Goans were a happy “susegado” lot. Today we have maximum Government and maximum number of laws and bylaws with maximum number of holes and loop holes and the people are restless and unhappy in spite of having money, for money cannot buy happiness. Today, we are focusing only on economic development and not holistic, sustainable and people centric development.
These thoughts may be a bitter pill to swallow, but it is the reality of today. Let us pause a while and find realistic answers to the above questions.
