I learned about the extraordinary life of US Senator John Lewis after he got his angels’ wings on July 17, 2020 following a battle with cancer; this civil rights warrior was a living legend, having fought alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, with Gandhian principles of non violence, to take on and successfully heal the wounds that segregation had gouged on the marginalized American communities. Like all visionaries, he refused to let prejudice and outdated notions dictate the terms that his generation and their children would have to follow. The movement not only won voting rights for all African-Americans but paved the way for Barack Obama to be elected President.
Covid-19 has acted as a great equaliser in the cogs of globalisation, proving we are all equally vulnerable and in urgent need of introspection. The UN and World Economic Forum have both attested that this death toll will pale in comparison to the catastrophic culling that climate change and accompanying drastic weather patterns / chronic food shortages will unleash on humankind.
Land for cultivation, freshwater reserves, forest cover, humane management of priceless social capital, peace among countries and trustworthy governance are the needs of the hour but peaceful Goa is shooting itself in the foot by tolerating gluttonous MLAs in power.
We need to limit MLAs to two terms and immediately repeal their plush benefits in light of the hard times. CSR from alcohol sales and gambling have to be funnelled (without customary siphoning) into easing the many woes of the entrenched workforce. The mining dues, as calculated by the accountants’ association and mandated by the Apex Court’s ruling, have to be collected and disbursed to the mining affected. The Rs 138 crore CAMPA fund can be dipped into to replenish the fields, forests and potable water reserves ravaged by rapacious illegal mining. Goa, being an irreplaceable cultural and biodiversity oasis has the right to demand that a bench of the NGT be set up here itself, earth moving machinery should be fitted with speed governors and GPS to track illegal activities.
All government tenders should be issued under one roof, the proceedings recorded and uploaded for oversight by discerning and upright citizens, to mitigate losses to the exchequer and more importantly, outright swindling.
Luckily, on December 19, 2019, the CM assured Goans that he will implement Vision: 2035; a socio economic masterplan compiled by Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, Prof. Madhav Gadgil, Arch. Charles Correia and other luminaries.
Like the late great Rep. Lewis, I too look forward to Goa’s future generations being allowed the rights that are guaranteed under our Constitution and more importantly, by unwritten Caiado. All of Goa salutes, respects and prays for the living legends at Goa Foundation, GBA, MBA, Goencho Avaaz, Federation of Rainbow Warriors et al.
“We are here to make a dent in the universe; why else would we be here?” -Steve Jobs
