We are in the middle of the monsoons.
From the time of eagerly waiting for the rains to the time of wanting a little
sunshine. And soon we will be looking for the rains to fade away so that we can
have our seasons in the sun. If we look at the main occupations and industries
in Goa, this is the time when agriculture is in the prime, education is in the
forward mode, healthcare professionals are busy with seasonal diseases on the
increase, and mining, fishing and tourism industries are in the slow mode but gearing
up for the oncoming season. The common factor is that all are looking forward.
In a sense, as our green fields turn golden colour, all of us in Goa will start
striking our own little gold in various ways and proportions. Let us hope the
mother of them all, our farming occupation, will be the first to reap a good
harvest.
Farming needs more encouragement and
fields need more protection. In the present times and circumstances, farming is
not a lucrative business. We somehow manage to meet our food requirements from
other states. Labour is expensive but machines are gradually taking over. We
are in a transitory phase. What is not lucrative today may become profitable
tomorrow. And even if not profitable, farming may become absolutely necessary
due to climatic and other ecological changes. We do not know what the future
will hold. That is why it is important, I repeat, to encourage agriculture and
protect fields even if they do not yield much and are temporarily left fallow.
The builders and the construction
industry are perennially eying the fields of Goa. It looks like they are
itching to destroy our fields permanently for their own profits. Yes, there is
a demand for housing. But most of it is for second homes and mere investment in
real estate. Should the people of Goa allow the destruction of their fields, a
natural heritage, to satisfy the greed of a few? We need to speak loud and
clear in our gram sabhas, through our media, and directly to our politicians
who are collaborators in the destruction of our beloved Goa. The Goa Bachao Abhiyan
(GBA) is doing a good job, ever on the alert. Those who want to save Goa must
support and join movements like GBA, and not national political parties which
afflict your vocal chords making you dumb. The new disease is called party
discipline. The remedies for this disease are either resignation or expulsion from the party to regain your
independent golden voice.
The argument goes that it is not in
the interest of our economy to keep fields uncultivated. I agree, and therefore
say ad infinitum that government
should encourage farming. But if it is not viable to do farming at this point
of time, then our khazan lands and fields should be treated as any other
investments for future. They may not be productive now but have a great
potential for food productivity in the future, specially if and when there may
be food crisis. Our khazan lands should be treated as our heritage. The
Regional Plan 2021 had taken care of this aspect. And by the way, are not
second homes that are closed for ten to eleven months and investment flats that
are left unoccupied, are not these and other white elephants economically
unproductive and ecologically harmful? They only turn more and more of Goa into
a concrete jungle, changing for the worse her natural characteristics.
Tourism is an important industry in
Goa. The monsoons used to be an off season for tourism. Now it is gradually
changing as we see an increasing number of Indian tourists in Goa these days.
The tourism industry may speak of the friendly people of Goa in its
advertisements, presentations and brochures. Yes, we are friendly. But that is
not the reason why tourists come to Goa. They come here to enjoy the beauty of
Goa with the sun, sea and sand in summer, the greenery during monsoons, and the
green turning gold between the two seasons. If we turn the green into cement
grey and our ever green trees into concrete structures, then we will kill the
goose that lays the golden egg.
Whether in agriculture or tourism,
health or happiness, our gold lies hidden in the green.
Published in The Navhind Times, Panorama 08.07.2012
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