I have very happy memories of the Curca spring. Not just because when we were growing up my father used to take us there for picnics but also it is the most beautiful spring in all of Goa.
It is a pre-Portuguese site which has some archaeological remains, supposedly dating back to the 13th century. It deserves to be on the list of protected monuments and heritage sites. Sadly, that is not the case. It lies unprotected and in ruins. The tourism department claims that there are not enough funds to restore the spring as mentioned by Shirodkar, former director of archives and archaeology who is pitching for its restoration and protection.
But the spring in Curca is not the only one that is being neglected. There are others at Boca de Vaca and Pomburpa. The beautification is only temporary and the rot sets in after hardly two to three years later due to neglect and lack of maintenance.
Slowly, our Goan culture and heritage is rotting away due to lack of interest in conservation, protection and restoration by a Government that has its own agenda. If it does not benefit them personally, they don’t really care.
Take for example the land debates. Our land is being grabbed from under our own noses. Before we can even protest, decisions and deals are made benefitting real estate dealers and their cohorts in the political parties. This has been going on for decades.
We have the recent examples of the insistence on building a new airport in Mopa when Dabolim is sufficient for our needs. Why? Because the politicians have already bought land in and around Mopa and they are the ones going to benefit immensely from the construction of a dud airport. They have no qualms on the other hand to displace people from their homes and confiscate their farmlands and thereby their livelihoods.
Another example is Tiracol where huge tracts of land (entire villages) have been usurped by the real estate sharks in connivance of the politicians to build a golf course. This project is purported to be “Goa’s most controversial project” so far. Not only is this land part of the Chief Minister’s constituency which implies he is involved but they have the blessings with regards to permissions from the Divisional Conservator of Forests, North, M V Karkhanis. Permissions have been given to fell trees by the very man who is supposed to protect them.
Goa has traditionally been an agrarian state with land being extremely personal and dear to each person. Now, the very same land is under threat. And our people are being blindsided by a Government that is hollow and selfish.
My family is one of the original 9 that own land in Taleigao. We pride ourselves on our farmland. But our fields are lying fallow because the channels carrying water are blocked thereby making it difficult to cultivate rice and vegetables. The Panchayat and the TCP in cohorts with the politicians have allowed them to build structure in the traditional fields.
The Mundcar Act and Tenancy Act have destroyed the traditional occupation of farming. Most of the people who used to earn their livelihood by working in the fields are now given easy access to an amount per month by the Government and assistance by some MLAs. The owners of the fields are afraid to lease their land to be cultivated by a third party as the above two acts and the Communidade rule has too many ambiguous clauses.
Recently the Government decided to withdraw the subsidy on paddy harvesting combines to farmers’ cooperative societies and clubs, as it had invested in 17 machines and these are considered adequate to cope with the requirement. How does the government make such unilateral decisions without involving stakeholders? The farmers have criticized this move saying the number of harvesters is insufficient for the needs of the state.
It would be better for the Government to have a participative approach where they involve stakeholders in the decision making process. Any solution must be holistic and not benefiting one party. In the case of the farmers, whilst mechanization is a positive step forward, there has to be a long term approach where there is education, awareness so that the farmers and other stakeholders are brought upto speed and, a monitoring and evaluation process to make sure that the loop is closed and the entire new process is effective. But this does not seem to be the case.
In the past, the communidade was a local body in every village who were responsible for the welfare of the village and its inhabitants. The Communidade law is a part of our traditions existing from before the Portuguese rule. However, nowit has been diluted by subsequent governments who prefer to have it ambiguous so that they can take advantage of it.
The politicians, past and present, are only interested in their own welfare. Therefore it is important for us, citizens, to be aware of what is happening around us. If we won’t wake up soon and aggressively stand for our rights, we will find ourselves being a refugee in our own land.
I find my childhood memories fading. But I would like to be able to refresh them now and then if I have the ability to visit the places dear to me.
(Vito Gomes has been in aviation for the past 34 years.)
