R Fernandes
Goans have not been courageous enough to congratulate the Goa Foundation for stopping the mass looting of Goan ore and for sounding an early warning signal.
But it appears the warning has fallen on deaf ears. They appear to have not learnt anything from this misadventure, thanks to the political maneouvers of vote bank politics. The government is going overboard to please the mining dependent contractors and supporting people. A discreet signal is given that things will go on as before.
A perfect case study in Goa context would be this tiny island in the Pacific Ocean called Nauru, located just south of the equator, to the northeast of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Nauru is only 21 square kilometers in size, making it one of the smallest nations in the world.
In the 70’s, Nauru, comprising almost entirely of rich phosphates right at the surface, was booming with exports. The soil was picked up and sold. Much like what is done in Goa in the mining areas. The people had the highest per capita income in the world and changed their cars every 3 months.
In 2005 there was a total turnaround with all the deposits exhausted. The land was wasted with sparse vegetation and no income for the people. They had to survive on money from other countries. They became a tax haven and delved in money laundering for a time, until forced to give up by the international pressure.
What is pertinent is that even Nauru had formed a Trust fed from the earnings of the exports. Never mind that mismanagement laid this trust almost bare. But in Goa, no one is thinking in these lines. We have not learnt anything. A Trust has to be formed before commencement of mining and a new tax -Trust tax- needs to be legislated. Further, all miners should be made to sign an undertaking that all workers, contract labour and contractors -barge and truck owners – who ply for them are their responsibility. They will also have to return the land back to its green nature. The government will not give a paisa as and when the mines close. The Trust should be used only as a revenue for the government.
All the MLAs from the mining belts should make a visit to Nauru along with the panchas. They will get a first-hand chilling vision of what Goa missed turning into, had the Shah Commission not come to our rescue.
