The world has seen of late how the towns and cities have been devastated and turned into ghost towns by wars in Ukraine and Israel-Gaza to name a few. And it may take another several decades to rebuild the same for decent living. With such disasters, it is humanity that is at the receiving end. And especially so, when terrorists in the name of religion bring disaster to their own people.
But in Goa, we are witnessing the disasters of a different kind where our lush green hills and hillocks go under the hammer of unscrupulous buyers and builders. The builders that have been on destruction mode of every piece of land that is available. This is how plundering and battering of our land resources is going unabated. It’s like bombing Goa on different fronts where the greed of our politicians runs deep into their mind and hearts. With their cowardly acts, the very lungs of Goa are being punched and smoked out. And that is not the development that we all yearn for but instead killing our natural God given resources. It’s high time to awaken every Goans’ soul so that we can save whatever remains. How can we allow this madness to prevail in Goa knowing that our hills and hillocks are our very lungs which protect us from natural calamities? Imagine the plight of Goa if air and waters get polluted. Of late, the world has been witnessing disasters of a different kind due to climatic-change. And we should take a cue from those disasters and start planning and protecting the natural resources which are at our disposal. The wrath of Mother Nature should not be tested for far too long. The consequences are unimaginable and unpredictable. You never know how and when the Altinho area in Panjim may tumble and come crashing down. God forbid!
By the way, why should we sell our hills and hillocks? Don’t they belong to Goa and Goans? Aren’t they locking horns with nature’s fury and thus protecting us from floods and cyclones?
Any development at the cost of nature’s resources should be stopped henceforth. And with Mhadei now silently dancing to the political tunes, Goa will have sleepless nights lest the river Mandovi will keep haunting for the next generation.
Our once beautiful Panjim City that has been reduced to shambles by the overzealous BJP will never be the same again. And Goans will never ever forgive them for destroying the heart of Panjim City. And monsoons will only add more misery.
Let’s thank those who planned these smart city concepts and fools who fell prey to it. Looks like their heart and soul are corrupted. Every hill and hillock in the remote villages has been under the scanner of the political clout in Goa, albeit in connivance with the builders’ lobby, be it in Goa or in Delhi. And that is worrisome. The Verna Plateau, once a nature’s paradise and habitat for birds and animals have been totally destroyed with Verna Electronic City denting every corner of the place that is available. And now slowly and surely the plateau at Soccoro is clandestinely being looked upon as the next top spot waiting for its destruction which is another paradise for avian and animals.
When the capital city is being robbed of its former glory, the charm and simplicity of the capital has been lost for posterity. The disgrace that has befallen on Kala Academy of Panjim after several crores for renovation has smelt the rat that siphoned of funds from the treasury. And we are silently watching the show, as once a political clown said that the show must go on. After all, the Panjim City is the heart and soul of Goa which no one can deny. The heart of every city father should be bleeding if they truly feel themselves the proud sons of the soil. The heart must be bleeding of the residents who invested their fortune to upkeep their ancestral houses which were in the eyes of every connoisseur.
As I pen down these lines, there is another video in circulation that shows how the village hills have been rampantly cut and cleared by chopping huge trees to make way for housing colonies in north Goa. One can see big trees loaded onto the truck and roads are being constructed. Are we so blind to these cowardly acts of our leaders? Why should Goa be sold at will to make way for housing in the very heart of a hillock? Why should we allow the lush green trees to be cut for someone’s greed? It’s happening all over Goa. Aren’t these hills and hillocks true lungs of Goa?
Given the present trend, it looks now that Goa has already started losing its very soul. The soul that once captivated and enchanted the world. The soul that every visitor experienced in Goans’ lifestyle and unity and they took back as Goa’s souvenir. But alas! Not anymore. Now it’s just a myth that Goa provide solace to the tourists.
With the present administration, Goans cannot hope for better days any more. The government including the Municipalities has miserably failed to give us a good administration. Instead, what we notice today are a bunch of jokers who are on a selling spree in Goa. Administration is in a total mess. And we have to address it at the earliest by the next assembly elections.
Will Goans ever have a CEO who can bring back the past glory of the capital city and work for Goa and Goans?
The day the influx of migrants grows exponentially, as is the present case, the very soul of Goa will be lost forever. And Goa and Goans will have their last laugh having lost their soul. God forbid!”
