The rising opposition to mega projects in rural Goa highlights a growing concern among locals about the sustainability of development amid dwindling resources, such as water supplies. Despite official assurances from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant that water resource assessments are conducted before approving large-scale constructions, ground realities paint a starkly different picture, with stress on resources visible.
In Sunday’s gram sabhas across villages like Moira, Varca, and Nuvem, locals have vocally opposed unregulated housing and commercial developments. In Moira, villagers protested against the proliferation of villas with swimming pools, citing the strain on already limited water and electricity supplies. Their petition called it a “destruction” of the village’s character and demanded restrictions to protect local infrastructure and resources. Similarly, in Varca, residents questioned the delay in holding a special gram sabha to discuss carrying capacity, raising alarms over a proposed resort and ongoing housing projects. Nuvem residents expressed fears that their village’s saturation point has been reached, with land being converted for settlements that threaten to exclude future generations.
These gram sabha voices highlight a basic disconnect, and statistics provide a grim picture. The Department of Drinking Water reports a shortfall of 62 million litres per day against a demand of 695 MLD, despite claims that per capita water supply exceeds government standards. Moreover, only about a quarter of consumers receive uninterrupted 24/7 water service, exposing the fragility of the water infrastructure. The Har Ghar Jal accomplishment appears to be a false propaganda because vast areas of rural Goa continue to be parched. Villagers relying on tanker supplies during the monsoon, when rainfall should ostensibly replenish groundwater, further demonstrate the inadequacy of existing water management systems.
The mismatch between official narratives and ground realities is as clear as daylight and reflects systemic issues. The reliance on tanker services as a contingency measure, even during the monsoon, suggests that portable water supply is not a seasonal anomaly but a chronic problem. It also raises questions about the efficacy of procedural checks and whether water availability certificates are being issued based on thorough, ground-level assessments or bureaucratic formalities.
Mega projects, such as housing complexes, are only going to exacerbate the problem, and the concerns raised by people must be taken seriously. The resistance voiced in gram sabhas that villages have reached saturation points in terms of infrastructure and ecological balance is an issue that cannot be discarded based on what the CM calls “assessments”, because many a times procedural loopholes have been exploited by real estate giants, and corruption has been a dominant factor in matters of “projects”.
The government’s decision to grant local bodies powers to issue construction licences is a welcome step, but here again, villagers must have a say in developmental decisions. The government’s stance, as articulated by Sawant, to improve water supply infrastructure and bridge the demand-supply gap, is laudable. However, without addressing the root causes— overdevelopment, unplanned urbanisation, and resource mismanagement — the promises of future supply enhancements may remain unfulfilled.
The government must delve into the experiences of villagers and how people are fighting battles of
balancing growth with sustainability. Sustainable development must prioritise strict environmental safeguards, people’s participation, and realistic resource assessments. Growth should never come at the expense of the people and environment.
