Goa sits on 3,702 square kilometres area of land, one of the tiniest States of India. But more often than not, its size has proved disproportionate to its might to ward off threat to its interest.
Its people have, in the past, battled powerful multinationals, mining giants, and a host of others to safeguard the State’s ecosystem and biodiversity. Be it the Thapar DuPont Nylon 6,6 project or the illegal iron ore mining, Goans have desisted buckling under. Its smidgen representation at the Centre mattered little.
Not a Midget
Lately, though, it seems to be overwhelmed by awareness of being a diminutive coastal State – ‘dot-sized’ – even as 170.835 hectares of its protected forest cover and 240 square kilometres of the Western Ghats in Sanguem taluka could be chomped off for the three linear infrastructural projects – doubling of rail track between Hospet and Vasco, four-laning of National Highway – NH4A – between Anmod and Mollem and a transmission line from Sangod in Goa to North Karnataka.
The most graphic argument of the State’s helplessness due to its tiny stature is in the recent letter written by Alina Saldahna, a BJP MLA from Cortalim and former forest minister in the (late) Manohar Parrikar-led State cabinet, to the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar.
She wrote, “The neighbouring States of Maharashtra and Karnataka are 82 times and 52 times bigger than Goa (respectively). Therefore, what may not be possible in these big States cannot be contained in the dot-sized State of Goa”.
There’s a palpable sense of powerlessness not just among the civil society groups, environmentalists but even the State legislators, whose vociferous objections to these projects have been shrugged aside, belittled and seen as going against the State’s interest.
One such legislator, from the ruling BJP, has been specifically told to refrain from making statements against the projects by central leaders.
“The feeling among most people in Goa is the State is not being treated fairly,” lamented the lawmaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Silent Dissent
According to this politician, there is a quiet dissent brewing among State legislators as the State’s interest is being compromised for Central projects and the benefit of a few corporate houses.
Many believe decision-making power of the State is slipping out of its hand with Lutyen’s Delhi taking control over many State issues, undermining the roles of the State Legislature and the State administration.
“It is the responsibility and moral duty of the elected representatives to put forward feelings, thoughts and stance of the people of the State. We are not elected to do what the Central government tells us to do. We are asking what are the benefits that will accrue to the people of the State (from these projects),” elaborates the MLA.
Adding lividly, “After seeing so much opposition to the project, if the government does not change its stance then, I think, it is a very clear indication that this government is not of the people, for the people and by the people. So, we now have to question, what form of government we have. In the name of development you just can’t keep doing anything.”
Claude Alvares, Director of environmental NGO Goa Foundation, is more direct in attacking the State’s leadership and its impotency in asserting itself, when it comes to putting across State’s point of view to the Centre.
“All decisions are being taken at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Our Chief Minister (Pramod Sawant) has to agree (to them) because if he doesn’t agree to the Central projects, then he will be seen as a weak CM and they (central leaders) will get rid of him,” said the fiery environmentalist.
And he believes the feebleness at display in the State by its leaders is peculiar to Goa. Alvares notes several other BJP-ruled States have successfully shielded their State’s interests despite an overbearing Central administration.
“The Centre simply can’t throw its weight around everywhere, but in Goa it is possible because the CM himself is dependent on how he is able to show the BJP in Delhi that he is in command and control (at the State level) by getting all the approvals that the Central government wants. The other day, the anti-coal agitators met him (CM) and he said that he didn’t know this much coal is being taken through Goa. He is obviously some sort of a puppet of the Delhi administration. He is doing whatever is being asked of him. Parrikar, at least, used to study things. This man is shallow,” Alvares said, with much rancour.
Apparently, Sawant has allegedly taken a sinuous path for extracting approvals for these environmentally sensitive projects. Many State Wildlife Board members were astounded to see the minutes of a meeting they had attended showing they had given the green signal to the three contentious infrastructure ventures. It is claimed that, subsequently, at least six of them have written to the authorities denying having given the nod.
A similar grouse runs across legislators, who have been taken aback at seeing their ferocious disapproval to mindless destruction of the Mollem National Partk and the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary being taken lightly; and cursorily mentioned as ‘some members raised concerns’ in the minutes of the meetings.
The Lesser State
This is in contrast to what is happening in neighbouring State of Karnataka, where the recommendation of Chief Conservator of Forest D Yatish Kumar has been paid heed to.
Kumar’s site inspection report of February 12 states: “If permission is given to this project there will be more damage to the entire biodiversity in the area. It affects the ecosystem of the Western Ghats. It bifurcates the entire landscape.” It concludes that the project should be rejected.
Offering justification, Goa’s Power and Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral said these controversial projects were State and National projects. “Each State will give something, and will get something,” he said.
The minister explains that the Tamnar project, which is spread across Goa, Karnataka and Chattisgarh and passes through the dense forest of the Western Ghats in Goa and Karnataka, will meet the future electricity need of the State, growing at 5 per cent annually.
He refutes claims of the power project being taken up to meet the rapidly rising industry requirement.
“The white paper (on power sector) is almost ready. There is more increase in domestic consumption than industry. If you look at last ten years’ data, the increase in power required for the industry is small. It is more for residential and small shops (low tension commercial). Together (domestic and small shops), they have grown at 55-60 per cent,” he said.
Orveille Dourado Rodrigues, convener of Village Action Committee Against Double-Tracking of South Western (SW) railways (VACAD), says Cabral’s power consumption estimates are a blatant lie.
“It is very clear, 28 per cent is going to railways and 72 per cent will be sold to other States or industry. It is not for Goa. They (State leaders) are lying. We are still shaken they are thinking of bringing in (more) coal into Goa,” claims Rodrigues, who has been at the forefront of the agitation against the projects.
He further claims that it has been clearly mentioned in reports that expansion of national highway, double-tracking of railways and transmission lines are being undertaken to facilitate coal transportation through Goa by road, rail and jetties.
“The quantum of coal transported is expected to be around 136 million tonnes per annum. Right now, it is 12 million tonnes per annum. Of the total coal, 51 million tonnes will be going by railways and 85 million tonnes will be transported directly through rivers and national highways. It will be stockpiled here. Imagine the devastation to Goa,” says the village activist.
He estimates the number of trains currently plying on the South Western (SW) railways could be tripled while there could be 500 trailers (19.5-metres long) on the road, starting from Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).
“That is why they have constructed the Loutolim bypass. Everything is being done to transport goods. Is it justified for a small State like Goa?” he asked.
Bullying Tactics
Rodrigues’ representations against the projects to various authorities have only led him to dead ends and empty promises. No amount of reasoning with them seems to work. The very clear message conveyed to him is, “do not take to the streets”.
So, he wasn’t surprised when the policemen came knocking on his door early morning on October 2 – the day a 74-km peace march from Mollem to Vasco to protest coal transportation in Goa was organised.
Citing imposition of Section 144, the policemen warned him that in the event of any trouble he and his colleagues would be arrested.
“Why do this? It is suppression of our voice. Are we not free citizens of India? Have we migrated from somewhere and landed here?” he exclaimed.
This feeling of being labelled as ‘outsider or Portuguese’ in their own State resonates among all those with dissenting voices, some are even lawmakers elected by the people of the State.
They say such bizarre tagging often puts them on back-foot and in defensive mode. A legislator, who did not want to be named, said whenever he and his colleagues argue against these destructive projects at meetings and sessions, fingers are wagged at them and they are derogatorily called ‘Portuguese’.
“We always retort we are as much, and more Indian, than anyone else here,” said the agitated politician.
Another member of VACAD, Max De Souza, is emphatic that the State cannot be sidelined in deciding the fate of these projects. The State’s consent is as crucial as the Centre’s in seeing them through.
According to him, at a meeting of MPs, MLAs and Sarpanchas with the railway authorities in 2017 for the double tracking project, it was concluded that land could not be acquired without the people’s consent.
Two years later, a provision under the Railways Act has been invoked for land acquisition, and the alacrity with which, the authorities have moved has stunned everyone.
De Souza adds that most local leaders were clueless on matters relating to the projects and try to placate those opposing them, even as work keeps progressing.
“While we are being given assurances from politicians, people (living where double tracking of rails is planned) have been sent notices,” he said.
The activist says the haste with which, the reports for the three projects have been prepared is evident in the similarity of their wordings and format, “only the parameters have been altered otherwise they are almost identical”.
State Vs Centre
Alvares is very clear about State’s jurisdiction in such matters and believes the State has yielded more to the Centre than it should have.
“There is enough power with the State but it is not being exercised. The CM is not looking deeply into the issue and blindly following whatever he is being told to do. The Forest Conservation Act and Environment Protection Act are fully within the control of the State government. They might need approval from Delhi but before it goes to Delhi it has to be approved by the State government,” said the activist lawyer.
Stating precedence, he pointed out that State Forest Department officials like Richard D’Souza rejected developmental projects on protected areas of the State without hesitation.
Another upright bureaucrat in the Forest Department, Ajai Saxena, was infamous for not moving project files related to the protected forest area.
“Everybody used to think he was not working. The truth was that he was of the belief that there cannot be development in protected areas. They are not meant for development, they are to be protected by us because they preserve our biodiversity,” said a person in the know who wanted to be quoted anonymously.
The State Environment Minister claims the two power lines, which were to pass through the forest land of Mollem National Park have been diverted at the insistence of the Forest Department to go around the boundary of the park, increasing its length by 4 Km.
He assures that he will not let Goa become a coal hub.
“There will be no coal hub other than what already exists in Goa. If they (local industry) require coal handling for their plant, may be they could do it on the jetty but there will be no coal handling on any jetty in Goa, whether existing or old, which will be for outside the State of Goa. We will not allow it,” said Cabral..
He is convinced that these projects will be beneficial to the State. “Had it been a project like Nylon 6,6…, I would have seen to it that it is not given to Goa. However, what is happening here, is required for the people of Goa,” he added.
Saldahna’s views are diametrically opposite to Cabral’s. “First and foremost, based on the fact that these three projects pass, two of them definitely, through the protected areas is itself enough grounds (for the State) to say no to the projects. The very term ‘protected area’ means you cannot do anything. In protected area, people cannot install electricity wires or poles,” reasons the ex-Forest Minister, who has studied the Forest (Conservation) Act in depth.
Another politician questioned the logic of transporting coal from Goa’s MPT to Karnataka.
“Where is the coal being taken to? To Karnataka. From which port? The Mormugao port. It is being transported to another State – Karnataka. The question that arises is – does Karnataka have a port? It does. So, why don’t they just take the coal to the Karnataka port and put the infrastructure there? The reason they are not doing this is because the people of Karnataka are not allowing it,” he said.
His statement further accentuates the feeling of Goa’s voice becoming feeble.
The Outburst
Congress Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco sees the Centre’s tightening grip over the State as apocalyptic. “The Centre has been completely against the State. We require a State government opposite to Centre otherwise we will not be able to survive here. They will finish the State,” he said.
He adds that the reason the bubbling dissent is not spilling over is because currently there is no alternative to BJP. Nonetheless, tempers are building up as local leadership tries to crush protest against the projects.
“We will target it like Maharashtra and take it (protest) to Aarey Colony level,” said the opposition party politician.
In all this, there’s one person, who is confident of the ‘dot-sized’ State finding its voice when its people come out on the street. Goa Foundation’s Alvares says the people of Goa will not allow the situation to ‘deteriorate’.
“Maybe in a month’s time there will be an open rebellion. This cannot go on for very long. COVID-19 cannot to be blanket justification or excuse for allowing things to continue the way they are right now. Coal is worse (than mining). What they (Central leaders) are imagining is not possible (in Goa),” he asserts.
