Colva, a coastal village, is seeing rapid concretisation, filling of fields/low lying areas/water bodies, destruction of trees to feed the greed of real estate interests. Surely it's common sense for all of us to understand the long-term consequences of all the latter. It is really disheartening to see all this environmental devastation not only in Colva but many other villages in Goa; encouraged by specific local corrupt panchas who surely get their "commissions/shares". I understand there are cases where local residents need homes which is understandable but what is happening is beyond the latter's necessity and people with large lands (inherited/purchased) are mostly selling/partnering with real estate lobby and land sharks to concretise as much as possible. I appreciate there are also quite a few Goans who have opted for more environmentally sustainable ways to use their lands e.g. by innovative farming ideas/contract farming/horticulture/medicinal farms, etc which can deliver regular income to the owners! Can Goans start thinking way beyond short term gains which the real estate industry offers with a very high negative environmental cost to the village ?
