It is a matter of deep concern that my once very beautiful, green village of Cuncolim surrounded by green fields all around her, lost her natural beauty at a very rapid pace and what little green remaining is likely to lose very shortly. As a child the fields in which I played, the fields in which I sailed my paper boats during rainy season, the fields in which I jumped from a height during Soa Jao celebrations hardly exist and the few existing ones are already been acquired for so called development works. The way coconut plantation was destructed opposite the 7 star bus stand on NH-17 under the full protection of Police and in the presence of Cuncolim municipal authorities including some elected representatives about 2 years ago, looked like the work on the road broadening near that area will commence the very next day but sadly till today nothing positive could be seen even after the killing of the several coconut trees. The Cuncolim municipal council is facing severe financial issues I suppose and the selling of coconuts inside the municipality could have lowered their financial burden a bit till the said land issue under their possession has been thoroughly settled. But sadly they themselves killed the trees which could be of financial assistance to them at this time of distress.
The Cuncolim industrial estate was brought in our historic village promising jobs for locals. Really I have not made any study on the number of locals been employed by the respective industries but I am sure to say that some of these highly polluting industries spoiled our pure ground water. We the villagers are forced to breathe highly polluted air. Rotten smell supposed to be from the fish meal plant is nothing new to people like us. The fish meal was dumped in my historic village of Cuncolim when it was unitedly objected by the people of the neighboring village of Velim.You all are welcome to witness the Carbon deposits in our houses. Hazardous waste been dumped in our fertile fields and soon the village will turn into another Sonsdo if the garbage issue not been tackled with immediate effect.
I still cry for my zulpea xett.A natural football turf which gave birth to footballers of those days, many of whom even represented the country. There is no footballer of those days in Goa who did not remember zulpea xett, a ground gifted by a football lover to Cuncolim Union. Almost all schools use to have their annual sports out there those days. It was a sort of heritage site for Cuncollekars but sadly the Cuncolim Union did not find a place to build a club house when there was plenty space available for migrants. Fortunately or unfortunately, the place once known as zulpea xett is presently known as the Cuncolim Union sports complex but for me it is still my zulpea xett.
Politicians remember Cuncolim only at the time of elections. They are suddenly awake from their deep sleep and planning to fight against the pollution faced by a common Cuncollekar but in no circumstances people like me will believe this dirty and ugly politicians.Once myself use to believe that we need clean and new political hands to clean and clear the mess created by the old ugly ones but sadly it does not take long for the clean hands to turn out to be the most dirtiest hands in the world.
The village has produced great sons of Goa in the name of very well-known High court judges, international footballers, daring writers not forgetting most sincere seafarers but till today could not produce a politician who can be appreciated. Most of present day so called political leaders acted as pimps for our former MLA from Varca and now they target him as an outsider.
Last but not the least, with the present political situation in my constituency, the weakest and the most incompetent will be the winner I suppose. Anyway I doubt things in my village and constituency as a whole will change for good. God save our souls and forgive me if I am hurting an innocent.
