Like Mohit did. He is a young professional and along with his wife took on the arduous journey for seeking building licences for a small house they were scheduled to construct in a coastal village of South Goa. Arduous because it is a known fact that corruption is rife in all Government departments and village panchayats and to effect change one has to be willing to face the challenges that are known to come one’s way. And many will dissuade you, why are you doing this? Just pay some money and get it done with. Or hire an agent who will do the processing for you. You have to be willing to pay everybody along the way. And your work will get done fast! And mind you this ‘fast’ is just an illusion but one that does the trick when the concerned party or person is not a local!
Mohit and his wife wanted to simply be true to their core values and also set an example to others who are often bogged down by this silent cancer called corruption.They applied for their building construction license in the midst of the lockdown and the pandemic. The delays were understandable. However the TCP and Health permissions came in with ease and justified thorough site inspections and scrutiny of the documents. When the application reached the village panchayat, the delays were telling! At first, Mohit was informed by a panch member that he may have to pay some amount to the panchayat members after he inquired about the delay of more than a month and a couple of meetings by the VP members. Then he was conveyed that each panch member had their own opinions about the plot! He then made a visit to the Panchayat office where the secretary who was blatantly flouting COVID-19 protocols by not wearing a mask began acting very high handed when Mohit inquired the reason for the delay.
First the excuse was that the plot was accessed by an untarred road, then a doubt regarding the authenticity of the subdivided plot! That as per their knowledge it was not an authorized sub division with consent by the Village Panchayat! When Mohit explained that he had all the requisite documents, that he even had a document for permission granted to build a compound wall issued by the same panchayat and that all the adjacent plots were granted not only a construction licence but also occupancy, the Secretary began to yell back asking him not to waste his time and to go to court with this data! He further asserted that other permissions like TCP, etc have no bearing and the VP has more authority than the TCP or PDA! It was evident to Mohit that there was blatant negligence and corruption at the panchayat office.
How did all the plots in the vicinity of his plot get all the permissions to build, occupy, get all other necessary water and electricity permissions if the untarred road sans drains and subdivision was not notified by the appellate bodies like the TCP and same village panchayat? In fact many plots in the same village do not have tarred roads, some are completely landlocked. Does this mean one does not have the right to build even if one owns the property? What does the law state? What are the provisions in the Goa building regulations code? Yes any subdivided plot has to be notified. Same with access to plot in a sub-division development. But there is no regulation that states that the road must be tarred or having drains for permitting any construction activity! And even a plot that is landlocked with no access can be granted permission to build!
When Mohit inquired with the neighbours of his plot, each conveyed to him that they had to pay to get permissions in spite of having all their documents in order. This meant that the VP members were intentionally misleading the residents or applicants that something was not in order to then coerce them to pay a bribe! And this is the practice all across Goa. If not let the sarpanches, secretaries, panch members assert their honesty. Let also other government employees speak up and tell the people of Goa that truth and values exist and that they uphold the same.
Did you vote during the Zilla Parishad elections last week? Were you among the low turnout of voters- roughly around 56%? What did you vote for? Did you vote for ruining your health with coal dust, letting your house and land be taken over by double tracking of train tracks for coal transportation and cutting of pristine forests in your state? For dishonesty and corruption? Did you vote to be a slave of bullying, extortion and goondagiri? Or did you vote for change? For the well being and sustainable development of your village and state? For better ward level development? Did you vote to protect fields and farming? For a better tourism policy and climate change mitigation?
Mohit and his wife have voted for change and positive action. And if we do not follow their lead to raise our voice, to question our government, to challenge decisions and to revoke wrongful permissions that are destructive, remember you are responsible and an equal party to the corruption that continues to plague us. This cancer of corruption needs to be thwarted, killed and wiped out. Let’s take the pledge with Mohit.
(Tallulah D’Silva is an architect and features in the Top 20 Golden Door Awards 2020 shortlist of international writers and agents of truth and integrity.)
