PACHU MENON
Does destruction necessarily have to precede development? It does appear so considering the manner in which the existing topography in various regions is ‘mutilated’ to accommodate emerging trends that spell modernization. The decline and extinction of ancient civilizations should have taught the modern world valuable lessons. That it hasn’t become more than evident when the alacrity with which such follies continue to be committed has a ‘novelty’ about them that is shocking, to say
the least.
If a situation that is morose and wretched today can usher in a golden chapter in the ‘developing’ history of a region in later years, that’s a depressive period the area has well invested in. The Konkan Railway in Goa for instance. Although to many, the prospect of a railway line along the west coast was the fulfilment of a dream, yet the rail-span in Goa defied infinite objections and protests before the project turned into a reality benefitting millions of Goans.
However, the damage done to Goa’s highly fertile Khazan lands does not feature any more in discussions on environmental conservation. The unique coastal estuarine agro-system that plays a crucial role in the state’s coastal ecology was so much in the news then. Should one infer that the imbalance brought about by the chugging of high-speed trains along the coast has not overly disturbed the ecosystem over the years?
There is a school of thought that people in Goa protest against any and everything just for the sake of protesting. Maybe these lines could be attributed to politicians who are irked by the prospects of public indignation against their ‘flagship’ programmes grounding them even before take-off. But in reality, the state lacks sustained activism and the verve to follow through with any campaign to its logical end.
Of late, with our beaches, rivers, oceans, hills and forests crying for protection from devastation, the ‘save’ campaigns with respect to their preservation are resonating with added zest in the state leading one to believe that the cries for environmental ‘reforms’ are not falling on deaf ears any more.
Even so, how does one look at the sudden flurry of activities that have characterized the response of the state government apropos the orders of the National Green Tribunal against the illegal structures along the coastal belt?
The demolition of the illegal structures along the coast on the orders of the NGT which has started in right earnest at Morjim, Ashvem and Mandrem beaches of Pernem taluka would suggest the seriousness of the government to abide by the laws which prohibit any construction in the no-development zones. Considering that these beaches along with Galgibaga and Agonda in Canacona taluka are recognized as turtle nesting sites, it is indeed surprising that the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority had to wait for orders from the NGT to commence demolition operations.
While the GCZMA has the mandate to take measures for protecting and improving the quality of the coastal environment and preventing, abating and controlling environmental pollution in the areas of the state of Goa, it is nonetheless shocking to know that over the years, no visible corrective measures have been taken against such irregularities.
Only fervent pleas of late by local people and civil society groups to save the beaches have spurred the NGT teams into action.
It is more than obvious that the owners of various hotels and resorts depend on the patronage of local politicians and ministers to conduct their business without any interference from the authorities. The damage to the natural environment and erosion of the natural resources in these areas are manifold. Despite the urgency shown by various nature conservation groups and ecologists to evolve better methods to prevent the loss of valuable resources, the apathy shown by the government towards saving our beaches from the consequences of gross commercialization is contemptible.
Coastal protection and conservation on sandy beaches and dunes continue to be neglected.
Invariably, the growth in tourism has always ‘manifested’ itself in increased business activities along the coastal belt. There is a general impression created among visitors that tourism in Goa is all about beaches, beaches and more beaches. And the stakeholders haven’t done much to dispel this notion either.
The erection of illegal structures is thus a natural corollary to the eagerness shown by many to have a share in the spoils, so to say. Tourism business along the beaches needs to be conducted within the confines of legal modalities prescribed and in such a manner that it does not affect the natural settings. It is no secret that the state has pushed its consumption of natural resources to the brink amplifying the risks of calamitous situations befalling it. However, ‘development at any cost’ appears to be the tagline of the present Goan regime.
But while coastal protection and conservation of the sandy beaches and the dunes in Goa are inviting the maximum of endorsements, our forests too are striving to survive the ravages of human greed.
In the throes of developmental works never before witnessed in the state, the hill-cutting and other rampant activities which have gone against the laws of nature are being justified as necessities that could well ease life for the locals and spell progress in the region.
However, reports that around 13,000 trees are likely to be felled to widen the Karmal Ghat section of the NH-66 highway on the eco-sensitive Western Ghats for the 4-lane road construction is in no way a welcome news for a state which is already paying a heavy price for a systematic depletion of its natural resources due to unchecked human activities.
Throughout human history, ecosystems have been manipulated to provide goods and services that enhance human well-being. The rapid urbanization and industrialization that the state has been keeping pace with in the past few decades have caused a gross abuse of its natural resources.
A reduction in the forest cover will further abet the weather vagaries that have wreaked havoc on the state.
