After more than a year of relentless protest by the locals, the proposed multi-cargo handling jetty at Hodar in Sanguem has reportedly been shelved.
In recent years, Goa has witnessed a troubling pattern of state-backed projects being proposed, and even initiated without adequate consultation with the local communities, being scrapped due to public protests.
Key scrapped projects include the Mirabag Bandhara, Hodar jetty, Unity Mall at Chimbel and project at St. Andre. Is this the new normal in Goa? Is the government testing the resilience of the local population, waiting to see how much opposition they can withstand before reconsidering their plans?
Public consultation must become a mandatory part of project planning. Transparent sharing of project details, and mechanisms for incorporating public feedback are essential.
Citizens should not have to stage protests, organize hunger strikes, or resort to public outrage for the government to listen. The right to meaningful participation in decisions that affect local communities is not a privilege, it is a democratic necessity.
People’s nod for any project is not optional, it is essential. Only then can Goa move forward with projects that are sustainable, inclusive, and truly in the public interest.
