KARSTEN MIRANDA
MARGAO: In the quiet village of Nachinola, North Goa, the Arthshila Goa art centre hosts an exhibition that tells a powerful story of citizens resistance and environmental stewardship. The Save Mollem Campaign’s interactive installation stands as a testament to grassroot activism that began five years ago and continues to flourish today.
The exhibition, part of the larger Kaghazi Pairahan showcase of artists’ publications responding to social and political dissent across South Asia, centers around a thoughtfully designed zine library and community table. Here, visitors pause to read, reflect, and contribute to what has become an evolving archive of resistance, resilience, and ecological wisdom.
What started in June 2020 as a citizens' movement has transformed into a powerful voice against three destructive linear infrastructure projects threatening Goa’s largest protected area: the double-tracking of a railway line, the Tamnar power project, and a national highway expansion. All three projects cut through the heart of Mollem National Park and the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary, areas vital to the water security and cultural heritage of Goa.
The exhibition’s centerpiece is a detailed map installation that traces the route of the Goa Tamnar Transmission line as it cuts through the state—from the protected forests of Mollem to the villages of Aldona, Corjuem, Tivim, and Colvale. Launched recently, this collaborative mapping project invites visitors to contribute their personal memories and stories of these areas, highlighting the deep connection between the people and their land.
"What do we risk losing in the name of development?" asks the exhibition, as visitors pin photographs, write notes, and share oral histories that become part of the collective memory map. These contributions emphasize the irreplaceable biodiversity and cultural significance of the regions threatened by the proposed projects.
The strength of the Save Mollem movement lies in its diversity. What began during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, when hasty virtual clearances were granted to these projects, quickly grew into a unified front of ordinary Goans—students, doctors, veterinarians, lawyers, fisherfolk, architects, hoteliers, small business owners, teachers, farmers, artists, and scientists all standing together for their forests.
The campaign's efforts earned recognition with the prestigious Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award in 2021 from India's leading wildlife conservation magazine, Sanctuary Asia. The award acknowledged the movement's effective grassroots approach to environmental defense.
Perhaps most remarkable about the campaign has been its creative approach to resistance. The exhibition showcases films, songs, stories, and artwork that amplified the movement even when on-ground meetings were impossible. These creative expressions have become an integral part of the campaign's identity and effectiveness.
As visitors move through the exhibition space, they experience the journey of a movement that continues to evolve and persist. The zine library and map will remain on display for two months, inviting more contributions and extending the conversation about conservation, development, and the future of Goa's precious natural resources.
The Save Mollem exhibition at Arthshila Goa stands as both a celebration of what citizen activism has accomplished and a call to continued vigilance as the projects still threaten the land, people, and biodiversity of this coastal state. Through art, science, citizen action, and legal recourse, the campaign demonstrates how communities can effectively challenge environmentally destructive development and protect their natural heritage for future generations.