When we have an occasion or a special function at home, Goans are known to spruce up their houses with new paint and decorations and stitch new clothes to welcome the guests for the particular functions. Similarly, the BJP government seemed to have gone overdrive in carrying out the entire makes shift preparations and decorations in Goa to host the BRICS summit without even caring to go through the normal standard procedures like job planning, supervision, quality control during execution. What is most surprising is why the Government had to act only when some international dignitaries visit Goa or an international event is being hoisted in the state. For years, people have been suffering due to the sorry state of our roads, Power distribution systems relying on dangling electric cables and roadside trees threatening the motorists at every turn. The very fact that not even a speed breaker had been allowed to stand in the path of the BRICS motorcade shows that the delegates were not be allowed by the government to go through any discomfort during their stay in Goa. The speed at which the departments had put up their efforts to spruce up their existing infrastructure is commendable but the quality of work especially in the hurried up road works during the rains is anyone’s guess. I am wondering whether the government received enough notice to prepare the infrastructure for the summit or they were simply waiting for release of the Central funds for BRICS to carry out the work at the last minute.
BRICS had come and gone. And we expect now the government departments to again go in their slumber and expect the people to tolerate all and simply benefit from the developmental works carried out in the name of BRICS. It would have a good idea if the delegates were taken on a tour of the places where the government does not like them to see especially our fish markets, bus-stands, rivers, schools, railway crossings, hospitals and village roads. Showcasing BRICS in Goa and the continuous media hype on the surgical strikes as claimed by the government seems to be a clever ploy to influence the minds of the electorate due to the ensuing elections in Goa and other states.
BRICS has shown to us that the people still call the shots when it comes to their lives and decisions cannot be forced onto them by mere threats. The Unity of the people on the issue of Mobile Towers in the name of BRICS is commendable. It is surprising that the government suddenly realized that connectivity is extremely required in South Goa during the BRICS summit when all along no one actually bothered to even give it a thought. Tower companies and property owners seemed to have reaped rich harvests in the name of BRICS as now Service Providers can sell their packages to a greater clientele and reduce call drops compensation thereby increasing their profits. BRICS came as a blessing for the telecom industry to erect towers in South Goa. What is most surprising that Tower companies had to rope in some of the top oncologists who in fact acted as ‘Tower salesman’ who were just focussed to brainwash the people that Towers are simply safe but declined to give any written undertaking regarding their claims.
Only time will tell what changes this towers which are erected in the name of BRICS will have on the lives of the villagers. Having extensively travelled around the globe and in BRICS countries, it is worth mentioning that all these countries have got their existing infrastructure in place that they have the capacity to hoist any international event at short notice without putting the common man into any inconvenience. In Goa, the common man’s life had been put in jeopardy just to show the BRICS delegates that Goa can hoist any international event at short notice while the actual story is anyone’s guess. If the Government has to really showcase Goa for events like BRICS then the infrastructure needs to be developed by sustained planning over a period of time and not undertaking the work simply overnight. I would be proud of a government which works wholesale throughout the year towards the people showering them with unending help to help their lives not by providing freebies but in improving their everyday life. BRICS summit might be of two days but the manner in which this summit has been pushed through on South Goa will have a long term bearing on the lives of the people and their relationship with the government in power!
