The performance of the Goa government is starting to show the strength of parliamentary democracy – by default?
With a lot of Departments and Ministers at loggerheads with one another, Goa governance is not making sense anymore. The garbage and sewage wars are throwing up a whole lot of stink and people are starting to suffer nausea. And, rightfully, taking the initiative?
Some MLA players are bowling their balls all over the place – in all directions – making for a lot of confusion and a feeling of – what’s going on? And, batsmen, too, are hitting their balls here, there, and everywhere.
Yes, it’s not cricket. Not anymore.
With one player cutting off the electricity which affects players of his own team and other departments – and embarrassing the captain – and another stopping garbage, another sewage, and another … Where and how will it end?
The attitude of Not in my backyard (NIMBY) is now being raised higher than Sonsoddo garbage hill for all to see, and bringing us to the crossroads – Is NIMBY something bad or good?
If a village, town or city wants to build – horizontally and/or vertically – legally or legally, then it is their business so long as they keep the problems of garbage and sewage within their (legal or illegal) backyard. Don’t export your self-created problems of overbuilding to other parts of Goa, especially to areas where the people are concerned about the environment of their backyard. After you have destroyed the environment in your own backyard – do you now want to destroy other peoples’ backyards? No way.
Calangute, for example, has overbuilt decades ago and the impact of overbuilding – garbage and sewage – needs to be solved within the parameters of Calangute. And, the same principle applies to everyone and everywhere in Goa. The waste sewage and waste garbage problems cannot be exported and relocated to somewhere else. NIMBY is a good indicator of sustainability.
The war within the government is in full swing. With players having a variety of conflicting ideologies, what is happening is totally expected.
All kinds of players – with a variety of ideologies or none are included in the team – and then dropped when necessary while others are brought in – everything is a matter of expediency and an attempt to hold on to power at any price.
Where is the voter? After the election he always ceases to exist and so there is no point in talking about him. The 10 Congress turncoats have made a Herculean blunder blinded by the lure of money and power? Now, however, they need not shed crocodile tears for backing the wrong horse. Are they are planning on joining forces with other political parties to get a better deal in future: think twice! After all, your next party might be held in jail.
Each man for himself and the voter a dead duck – isn’t this the reality today? But can there be governance with this kind of mindset in a system of parliamentary democracy? The bowlers will bowl in a drunken way and the batsmen whack the ball also in a drunken way until the game is over and it is time to start a new match – and call for another election. It’s not cricket!
