Angelo da Costa Barreto is an agriculturist and a vigilant citizen from Curtorim. Having won the ‘Farmer of the Year’ award in 2012, he is ideally placed to explain some of the problems of his village
The Goan: We have heard how proposed been mega projects thathave been shelved in Curtorim. Ecologically, what are the concerns surroundingthe need to shut them down?
Angelo da Costa Barreto: Primarily, with the outcome of theRegional Plan having been kept in abeyance, it is difficult to comment.However, from what we have gleaned, there are several hilly areas as well asKhazan lands that have been demarcated as settlement zones. This is in itselfoutrageous. Also, one has to keep in mind that the village is notinfrastructurally equipped to handle such development. Where would the sewagematter go? With already existing issues of garbage disposal, adding anotherseries of row houses and apartment will only add to the load.
TG: What are the long term effects of improper treatment ofthis waste matter that would be created by these complexes?
ACB: To begin with, there exists a large possibility thatthere may be seepage into the water bodies. This would contaminate them andwould have catastrophic effects. The aquatic life forms would carry diseases aswould the water itself, both of which are consumed by the villagers.
TG: In light of these events, what are the steps that havebeen adopted by the village to safeguard its own?
ACB: The people of the village have been actively involvedin seeing to it that the essence of Curtorim remains untouched. For instance,in one case, the High Court ruled in favour of a developer who wanted to buildan up-market series of row houses, provided the general public was not opposedto it. At the next Gram Sabha, the people of Curtorim turned up to unanimouslyoppose said project. In this vein, we try to protect the interests of oneanother and thereby that of the village.
TG: Being a village that primarily sustains itself throughagriculture, there has been talk of a decrease in terms of produce. How trueare these claims?
ACB: Due credit needs to go to our MLA, Aleixo ReginaldoLourenco. He has played an active role in mechanising farming in Curtorim.However, one needs to take into account the decline and gradual cease oftraditional occupations. A farmer’s descendant no longer necessarily wants totake up the same job his ancestors did. As such, at least where traditionalfarming is concerned, there has been a slight decrease in terms of end product.
