BLAISE COSTABIR
The current trend in Goa appears hope less, as Goans are progressively being isolat ed in their own land, effec tively one square metre at a time. The policies, laws, and projects, though pre sented as beneficial to Goa and Goans, actually benefit outsiders and a few locals. The root cause is land- the soul of Goa. Now, there is a ray of hope on the horizon. Consider the new bridge announced from Chorao to Porvorim as an example. Chorao residents mainly travel to Panaji, so a bridge in that direction would be ideal. Suddenly, a tender is announced. This raises questions: Why the secre cy? Who planned the ap proach roads? Who was consulted about its neces sity? It appears that the major beneficiaries will be builders because it will open up the pristine hills with a proper road. Has this proposal been pre sented to the panchayats of the villages that will be affected? If they object later after getting details, then it will be said that the people do not want devel opment. The Goyant Kollso Naka has relentlessly protested the double tracking. They have publicly opposed double tracking and Goa becoming a coal-handling hub, presenting facts and figures. Their protests are not being taken seri ously. Elected represent atives who backed their demands deserted their cause after switching po litical sides. These projects harm coastal, forest and riverine environments. Raj Thackeray clearly pre sented the Adnanification of India, Goa will become another dot on the Adani map as most projects ben efit his business at Goans’ expense. During the Harmal pro test, locals objected to the conversion of non-devel opable land. The protest triggered two events: the rollback of the land con version proposal and a tweet on social media that has triggered an avalanche of pent-up frustration: “Enough Is Enough.” Re tired Justice Ferdino Re bello asked, “Why should locals spend their time fighting the government in court to protect Goan land and culture?” Should the government not be re sponsible? The tweet became cen tral to a movement to stop further damage and reclaim Goa for its people and future generations. At a public meeting in Panjim, which was well attended both physically and online, a 10 Point charter was presented and accepted by the people. The charter’s highlight is that it address es Goa’s core problem: ar bitrary, case-by-case land use changes that ignore the planning perspective in the Regional Plan 2021. These changes are allowed using amendments to the TCP Act under Section 16B (stayed by the court), 17(2) (read down, requir ing rules), and 39A (chal lenged), they allow zoning change and increase in FAR on a case to case basis. It is strange that the original landowners never realised their lands were wrongly classified. How ever, once these lands, including tenanted prop erties with negative decla rations, were sold, the new owners applied for cor rections and construction plans. Additionally, using an internal TCP order is sued in September 2023, applicants can bring their own experts to submit that the land is not a slope or an orchard and thus should be converted to settle ment. The withdrawal of this illegal circular is one of the demands. The contour maps of the Surveyor Gen eral of India, which is the gold standard in such mat ters, must be the basis for any hill cutting decision. The circular’s withdrawal is one of the demands. A related demand is to examine all certificates issued by private profes sionals. If found false or misleading, the individuals should be held account able. Unfortunately, the Government just moved “The Goa Jan Vishwas Bill,” a 151 page document that decriminalises negligence by serving bureaucrats with retrospective effect from Dec 2, 2025. This is a strange coincidence; after the Birch incident, there was a demand for account ability, and in one simple stroke, all involved will be left off with a rap on their knuckles. This is the invis ible hand offering protec tion. So will they have the will to act against private individuals? The “EiE” movement is gathering steam; the Charter was presented to the Chief Minister, who said briefly, “We will do what Goans want.” We live in hope. All proposals for change/development go to the TCP first for approv al. Once approved, with out giving any rationale, it comes to the panchayat for a construction license. What about water, pow er, sewage, and garbage collection? In Sancoale, there is a water problem; residents are complaining they do not get enough. Yet a project with 600 plus dwelling units and pools is approved, hence a demand to access the carrying ca pacity of each village be fore any new proposals are entertained. Maybe, 5% of the settlement area in each village can be released every year for new devel opment with a priority for single dwelling units. This approach facilitates the expansion of infrastruc ture for essential services such as electricity, water, and garbage collection. The application process must be changed to reflect the 73rd amendment. Any development or change of zone application must first go to the panchayat. If re quired, the Panchayat will pass it through the gram sabha. If approved, it goes to the TCP for technical clearance. This will reduce agitations as the projects will not come as a surprise. One demand within the 10 point charter concerns the removal of the casinos from the river. It may ap pear that this issue might seem unrelated to the pri mary focus on land. Just the contrary, the appetite for gambling, the demand for land for hotels and homes to rent are fuelling demand. Casinos continue to harm Ponjekars and the Mandovi. Even though re moval was promised, noth ing has happened. The EiE movement is gathering momentum; new public meetings are scheduled in Margao and Mapusa. The government ought to take notice, but like all governments, it will likely hope the move ment dissipates naturally, allowing business as usual. Therefore, it is imperative that this movement gar ners the attention of every conscientious Goan. GOA IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR TODAY, TOMORROW WILL BE TOO LATE. (The author prefers to write rather than chat in a balcao)
