The reason why Goa has been called an earthly paradise is for the simple reason, that it has the best of climate conditions, ecology, as well as an environment best suited for human development and growth, attuned with nature for both holistic and sustainable livelihoods. The coastal regions of Goa afford vast expanses of the sea, rich in marine biodiversity, provides us with immense resources from the sea, which we not only exploit for our nutritional needs but also use as feed, fodder and fibre. Shells of clams and other shell fishes are often used as materials in the construction industries. We cannot ignore the use, misuse and abuse of sand extraction taking place across the length and breadth of Goa. It is an understatement that Goa is today facing the challenges of losing almost all of our pristine beaches due to ingress of sea water, not only as generally believed the ill effects of the “climate change phenomena”, but sadly due to the unscientific manipulation of our coast line, as a result of haphazard man made thoughtless development. We allow concrete development, flouting all guidelines described under Goa Coastal Zone Management plans. We allow resorts, shacks and dwellings which are in the garb of tourism, building up of traditional dwelling, transferred and transformed into commercial units. This challenges the forces of nature, not only causing economic losses to those individuals illegally challenging nature, but also in Goa we have the government acting like a headless jumping chicken, ready to compensate those affected, by nature-challenging activities.
In Goa, we call the bisons, peacocks, monkeys, pigs, porcupines, crocodiles etc as vermin all because we have taken over the forests and the dwellings of the wild life and marginalised them. Being cornered and left hungry, the wildlife has no breathing and feeding place to survive, and, thus forced to enter man made plantations. Little do we realise Goa has totally lost its fair share of elephants, tigers, leopards, etc. long time ago and we are fast moving into soon losing our state animals be it gaur, bison, peacocks and our traditional consumed rock fishes too in the marine habitats. Paradoxically we have now to depend on the “Formalin fish”, exploited by traders or fishermen from the east Coast of India, since have failed miserably to scientifically develop both marine and the brackish water fish promotional activities. In my earlier articles, in this paper I had clearly spelt out in details as to how Goa has lost miserably in the tribunal on the Mhadei water to Goa and the need to maximize the catchment areas of our rivers, in the upstream regions. But sadly as the Goa government has totally failed to protect our Aquifers in the catchment or the hinterland talukas, as well as with the acute deforestation, illegal mining and with breaching of the riverine edges with commercial activities, we would only see flooding during monsoons and desertification during the summers. Paradoxically with 100 inches of rainfall. Goa would see areas like Pissurlem, Sonshi and the other hilly regions, starved of water we have allowed soil excavations below the water table and, sadly water does never flow from the lower zone to the higher zone. Knowing fully well that Goan beauty is due to the greenery provided by fresh water springs flowing from hills, we should have shown concern for the water security of Goa instead of raping our environment by butchering our verdant hills.
Transforming Goa from a natural paradise into a Living Hell is all due to the unscientific development of our state. Isn’t it stupid that the beautiful sands of Cansaulim, Kerim and perhaps Calangute, Anjuna and the rest of Goa too, would have been soon under tripod boulders, ordered to be placed by the MLAs from these regions, and the government in power. In order to protect the houses, settlements, shacks and commercial complexes, which in science parlance shouldn’t have been there in the first place itself, Goans have destroyed Goa.
Interestingly, it is difficult to avoid a Goan who is not into the business of real estate, buying or selling Goa and blaming Delhi-ites for taking over our properties and running gambling, prostitution and even taking over the football bonanza. We are stupidly left to cheer FC Goa which is anything but Goan. We fail to see realities. We enjoy clapping, we sustain on tourist-visitors to Goa. We ignore casinos are polluting not only the soul of Goa, but also rivers too. We expect coal imports and trading in toxic chemicals to fuel the Goan economy. Every activity the Goa government promotes is centred dependences and direct parasiting of “Mother Goa”. We avoid tilling our fields but prefer dying in a gymnasium. No doubt, Goans by their wayward ways have brought upon themselves, diabetes, cancer, heart ailments, kidney and respiratory diseases-all these due to our utter disrespect to Nature. Only what Goans sincerely do by and large is pray and prey; they fail to realise that they have conveniently forgotten what often is told to them. “God helps those help themselves Help always comes from within one self and never ever from an unseen super power. Unless we realize that we will be the losers. We have to believe in ourselves. Goa would move slowly towards being Paradise lost if we fail to harness the potentials of our own people.
