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Is Tourism Destroying Goa? https://www.rediff.com/news/column/ramesh-menon-is-tourism-destroying-goa/20230224.htm By RAMESH MENONFebruary 24, 2023 16:24 IST
Poor governance and mediocre short-sighted politics are destroying the paradise that Goa was as its environment, water table, culture and way of life is drastically threatened by tourism and migration, points out Ramesh Menon.

Real estate companies are vying with each other to build cottages, villas and flats all over the state as residents from mainland India wish to shift to the scenic state or build a second home.

Rapid urbanisation is unable to sustain itself, given the poor infrastructure. It is no more the paradise it was.

Public transport is in a mess. Uber and Ola services are unavailable as the taxi groups will not let it come in.

So cab and auto fares are very unreasonable. It is common for cab drivers to demand Rs 100 or more for a kilometre.

Waste management is a serious issue plaguing the state, especially in rural areas, as garbage tied in polythene bags is just flung on the roadsides from passing vehicles.

https://www.civilsocietyonline.com/interviews/goas-big-projects-wont-last-if-its-ecology-is-destroyed/ 

Abhijit Prabhudessai: ‘The government completely disregards the well-being of the people’

‘If Goa dies real estate projects won't survive’

Development projects in Goa are sanctioned through regional plans which is basically demarcation of zones across Goa of permissible land uses. In ecologically sensitive zones like orchards, paddy fields, slopes, forests and so on, development activities are not permitted if they are contrary to agriculture or forestry.

But once lands are demarcated and shown as settlement zones, irrespective of present land use, they can become tourism projects or commercial projects. Similarly, the regional plan is supposed to demarcate a number of things which it does not. Like groundwater resources, community lands, prime tenanted agricultural lands. These are often shown as settlement zones in regional plans.

The situation is that the scientific community is completely under the control of the government. It is, therefore, not in a position to do the work it needs to do. For example, the Mopa airport project or any large project where the government or a large real estate owner is involved — you will not see the scientific community coming forth to provide facts and science. We understand even circulars have been passed that they should not divulge facts to the public.

The first step is for the government to accept and acknowledge the existence of these economies. The GDP doesn’t show it. If you grow your own food or share it or barter it the government doesn’t consider that to be an economic activity. The huge khazan lands are all sustainable farming systems. Some 400 or 600 families live off that paddy the whole year. These are economic activities that sustain life in Goa. And, yes, a self-sufficient village has to be the way forward.

At liberation Goa had a population of 600,000 which sustained itself on local resources. Large tourism projects will not sustain the moment you start losing the ecological balance. And agriculture, fishery, and forestry give more employment than anything else.

Our water bodies, lakes, rivers and nallas are by policy being concretized. Contractors spend crores to build concrete walls replacing an existing laterite structure already there in mud. Instead, you can employ thousands of people to use the existing material and restore it. Pay them handsomely and you will save more than half the money you are at present spending.

Quit Hate, Save the Constitution Campaign  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCnup5lb-x0  Oct 16, 2022
Quit Hate, Save the Constitution Campaign

Prashant Bhushan, advocate Supreme Court of India

Anjali Bhardwaj, social activist, Satark Nagrik Sangathan

Jignesh Mewani activist & MLA, Gujarat

Purshottam Bhatt, singer

Vinay & Charul, Loknaad (recording)

Moderator Amrita Johri, Social activist, Satark Nagrik Sangathan

Organised by ANHAD & Satark Nagrik Sangathan