The way drastic changes are being made to help builders and outsiders, at the cost of Goa’s environment, not even sparing the poor coconut tree, that very soon even in the villages we will be forced to live surrounded by concrete structures instead of trees. Development at any cost seems to be the mantra of Parsekar government. They are so blinded by power that all the protests, morchas and shoutings of the common public are treated with arrogance as insignificant and not worth giving an ear.
Arlekar claims that the general public is happy with their decision to convert the coconut tree into grass to be chopped off as and when the business lobby desires. He says it is only some activists who are making noise. One has to be blind not to see the spate of protests going on all over Goa, regarding this decision, not only from the general public, but by renowned scientists, doctors, intellectuals and other eminent personalities in Goa. Ask any common Goenkar about this and you will notice how he is seething with anger and frustration and waiting for his turn to give back.
Arlekar should not live in illusion pretending that the general public is not hurt. Now his next step will be to arrange for parking their taxis in the marinas, unmindful of the ecological damage and depriving the poor local
fisherman of his livelihood. The altar boys are not protesting or making any noise in the Assembly because it is a question of you scratch my back I scratch yours.
Corruption, sycophancy and nepotism led to the downfall of the Congress government in Goa in 2012. Anti-people decisions and development at any cost will lead to the downfall of BJP government in 2017. Not to mention anything about zero-tolerance to corruption since now we are living in a tolerant
society the new motto seems to be total tolerance to corruption. Fr Bismarque’s unsolved murder, Vasco school child’s unsolved 3 year old rape case, ordinance to help builders in eco-sensitive zones and the list of BJP’s undoings goes on.
Dr Oscar Rebello put it succinctly when he wrote “hell hath no fury like a Goan scorned” I would add to that “Jednam ek susegad Goenkar uttha, tednam songleachem fudtta”.
