Let us trust the devil himself but not Manohar Parrikar the politician. Parents should have a choice for MoI.

The BJP government in Goa first headed by Manohar Parrikar and then by Laxmikant Parsekar have been playing with the sentiments and emotions of Goans. BJP politicians just like the Congress have become so insensitive and hard of hearing of people’s opinions that they care two hoots to the wishes and demands of the parents.

At the moment parents are demanding a choice for their children to be instructed. Be it the mother tongue or Indian language or international language. But the BJP government keeping the sword dangling over the heads of lakhs of students thereby putting their future in jeopardy.

Parents demanding grants to English as MoI to be passed as an Act.

The BJP and some language chauvinist of which former Chief Minister and current Defence Minister is a part of; are of the opinion that education at the primary level should be in one’s mother tongue as it helps in moulding of a child.

The question that Goan parents are asking is, ‘which is the mother tongue’ of Goa. If it is ‘Konkani’ then why equal status to ‘Marathi’. If it is Konkani, then why extend grants to Marathi schools in Goa and deny the same to English. Is it just because Marathi is an Indian language or is it because the scriptures of Hindu brethren is written in that language.

Then if Konkani is the mother tongue of Goa, why ‘Devnagari’ script and not ‘Romi’ script given that the scriptures of Christian community is in ‘Romi’ script.

Parrikar and the likes beat their breast or rather show to the public that their heart beats for Konkani but in reality it is just opposite. Their heart beats for Marathi. Parrikar and his cronies have completed most of their education in Marathi medium and then through English medium. To put the record straight, Manohar Parrikar completed his last two years of high school from Loyola high school in Margao run by the Jesuits.

Secondly, if the government has been promoting mother tongue, how come Marathi schools are flourishing in Goa compared to Konkani schools. Directorate of Education statistics indicate that more than 31,000 thousands students are studying in Marathi medium government as well as aided schools, whereas only 6000 students are studying in Konkani medium government as well as aided schools.

Question is why should government allow Marathi schools to thrive in Goa. Question is what has the government done to promote, propagate or encourage Konkani schools in Goa.

Recently Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has announced Rs. 400 to students availing primary education in Marathi or Konkani. This amount translates to Rs. 15 crores for Marathi schools and mere Rs. 3 crores for Konkani. The BJP government is indeed playing a cruel joke on Konkani loving Goans.

But that has been the policy of the BJP government. Set-up airport at Mopa to benefit tourism in Maharashtra and kill the same in Goa. Hand over 9 lakh sq. kms of land in Tiracol to hoteliers from outside Goa and then another 6 lakh sq.kms of land at Naqueri-Betul to Defence Ministry but do nothing to get back the land and islands occupied by the military and Navy.

All that the government has done is only tried to block English as medium of instruction in schools run by the Christian community like the Jesuits, Don Bosco, Archdiocese Board of Education and Diocesan Society of Education (DSE).

If the government was serious about imparting primary education in mother tongue only, it would not have permitted 130 unaided English medium schools in Goa.

It is an open secret that these unaided English medium schools are allowed to charge fees as per their whims and fancies. The government or rather the Directorate of Education refuses to audit their annual financial statement and thus fails to regulate the fees charged by these businessmen who run these schools under the guise of Charitable Trusts and Mandals. This means the rich gets an opportunity to educate their children in English medium schools and the poor are forced to go to government schools and be taught in mother tongue. What the government is trying to tell you is that since you are poor you uphold the mother tongue but if you are rich enough to pay the hefty fees of the unaided English medium schools you do not have to bother about your mother tongue. And this is what Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said recently, “Goans must understand to maintain Goenkarponn, it is always better to learn in mother tongue at primary level, we have to save Goa and not become Englishman”.

This man studied in Marathi and English, he did nothing as Chief Minister to make Konkani as the sole mother tongue of Goa but is telling us to maintain Goenkarponn. He fails to understand that ‘Goenkarponn’ and Konkani go hand in hand. Hence it is better to trust the devil himself but Manohar Parrikar the politician as he will use all the tricks in the book to stay in power.

Rest assured this BJP government whose High command and Low command is Manohar Parrikar himself will not allow government grants to aided schools to become a law. Just like the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Manohar Parrikar and his BJP are in love with Maharashtra.

The only thing that holds them back from again trying to merge Goa with Maharashtra is their lust for power.

 

 

Fr. Bismarque had recorded a video of his impending murder – By Bosco de Souza Eremita. courtesy Vauradencho Ixtt.

In a chilling video, environmental activist late Fr Bismarque Dias mysteriously found dead in Mandovi estuary last year, virtually foresaw his untimely demise and even named people who should be investigated first in the event he was found dead.

Father Dominic Sequeira, assistant parish priest of St Stephen’s Church, St Estevam said that the video recording was submitted to the police for investigations months ago, but lamented that the people named in the recording by the late priest were not investigated by the police.

Environmental activist late Fr. Bismarque Dias

The priest said that Fr. Bismarque had predicted that he would be killed by the builders’ mafia and therefore had prepared his own video recording a few months before his death, so that the culprits behind his murder are made public.   

Fr. Sequeira reiterated that politicians were blocking free investigations into the probe and bemoaned the fact that crucial eyewitnesses who would have changed the complexion of the conclusions over his death, were deliberately not  interrogated by police. 

He said, police had ignored the video recording and cited instances of deliberate omissions by investigators.

“We are confident that the soul of  late Fr. Bismarque will not rest till those behind  the cover up  and those behind the destruction of our environment  are  exposed”, said  Father Sequeira. “Slowly all those powerful people will be exposed,” he asserted.

Fr. Bismarque’s body was found on 7 November, 2015 floating at an isolated spot of the Mandovi in th island village of St Estevam after he went missing on November 5.  The family has refused to conduct the last rites till proper investigations are conducted into his death.

“We are not going to keep quiet at this orchestrated cover-up. We are planning to approach the court in an effort to nail the murders,” said Sudip Dalvi, a confidante of the deceased firebrand activist.

On March 3, the Crime Branch declared that it had completed its inquiry and termed the death as “accidental”.

BJP govt. stooge SP Kartik Kashyap

“We have inquired into each and every aspect and allegation in the case and not kept any aspect of inquiry open,” Superintendent of Police of Crime Branch, Kartik Kashyap told media. “Both post-mortem reports clearly mentioned that death was due to drowning.”

Every name alleged by the family, friends and activists has not only been verified, but we have put it on record with their statements, Kashyap added.

But this was disputed by Dalvi. “My fears have come true because I had foreseen this situation. In hindsight, in the initial days of the case, we had our chief minister who declared that it was a simple open and shut case. This was echoed by the police chief. When the boss says such things there’s no way the subordinate staff can go against their boss’ utterance.’

Dalvi pointed out that police had not called him for questioning and in fact he was turned away when he tried to meet the investigating officer, after a video was submitted to the police.

Late Fr. Bismarque had named five people in the video, including two brothers and a local village elected representative, said Dalvi, quoting the names to Vauradencho Ixtt.

Dalvi pointed out that the murder was a “super intelligent plot” because the mastermind used the two boys as a lure to accompany Fr. Bismarque to a desolated spot. While one is a lad of 18 years and cannot be subjected to a lie detector test because of he being underage, the other though 19 years, has evaded the test since he has a mental ailment.

Advocates Jose Peter D’Souza and Caroline Collasso, legal advisors to Bismarque’s family, said the inquiry right from the beginning was haphazard in order to kill the case. They told the local media that the police, instead of collecting evidence, had tried to destroy it.

They charged the police of using a forged panchanama which was taken into consideration by Crime Branch when they took over investigations.

“The clothes from the site of the incident were taken to Bismarque’s home by the assistant parish priest and it was collected by police from the residence of Fr. Bismarque, not from the site as claimed in the panchanama report.” 

The lawyers’ report also revealed that a lady, who is politically well connected, was summoned for interrogation, but within no time left the Crime Branch saying she needs a lawyer while being questioned. However, till today the lady who is seen to be a prime witness has not been questioned, the report claims amid suspicion that she may be trying to shield the culprits.

The lawyers also raised questions on the investigation of Bismarque’s vest which was found by locals with blood stains. They stated he always wore one and sought to know what happened to it and how the vest reached the spot where it was found and who took it.

Their report also raise queries as to the failure of the Crime Branch officials  not questioning five boys who had seen Bismarque at 11:30 pm on November 5 which goes completely against the theory of the two boys who had accompanied him on that fateful night

Strangely, in December, despite an unanimous demand at a public rally for the investigation into the death by a special investigation team (SIT), Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar dismissed the need for a SIT explaining that the Crime Branch was manned by very competent officers.

 

 

Salted Beef Roast

Requirements:-

Salted Beef Roast

Nice chuck of beef approx. 2 kgs.

Salt

Salt-Peter (currently banned substance)

Lime.

Preparation

Cut the beef in 4 pieces. Wash it and let excess water drip.

Add lots of salt.

Apply pinch of salt-peter for all the pieces for the redness.

Squeeze lime juice from 3-4 limes, leave the lime along with meat.

Wrap the meat in banana leaves, place them in a vessel and keep weight over it.

Weight should be such it puts pressure on the meat.

After 24 hours pickle the meat with a knife, turn the pieces of meat and again wrap it and let it mature with weight over it.

After 36 hours boil the meat in it juices. Can also pressure cook it.

Let it cool. Cut into neat slices.

Garnish with onion rings or potato chips or slices.

Can be served either as it is or can be tossed on a frying pan.

 

 

Photo-feature of preparation for Defexpo. Realistic look at the area of the land to be handed over to the defence forces.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his puppet government in Goa led by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar have roughshod the people’s opposition to host the mega event ‘Defexpo and Aero show’ from 28^th to 31^st March 2016.

Preparation is on at the hectic pace with tight security. The State government has thrown a cordon of policemen outside the perimeter of the 6 lakhs sq.mts of land at strategic points.

Inside the campus of the Defexpo and Aero Show it is just the private security and bouncers who are controlling who gets in and out of the gates of the campus.

As the preparation are on 24 hours to meet the deadline, photography is not permitted at all. However I managed to take pictures from the moving car.



A distant shot of the area being readied for the Defexpo and Aero show.



Two lane highway for 4 days event. Entire periphery of 6 lakhs sq.mts has been fenced

Huge hanger being set-up to accommodate defence equipment.

Hectic pace of work at Defexpo site and large number of hangers



Cattle of some locals passing by the Defexpo venue

Watch towers and CCTV cameras

Razor sharp wire along the entire perimeter

And bouncers manning the site to intimidate Goans opposing the mega event.

Closer view of hangers

Manohar Parrikar gifts more 6 lakhs sq. mts of Goa’s land to security forces.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar’s lie to Goans totally stands exposed with the BJP government in Goa informing the Assembly that Naqueri-Quitol in Betul will be the permanent venue for Defexpo and Aero show.

Incidently this is not the first lie, infact the BJP government has been lying to us throughout for the last two years when the Defence Minister first mooted the idea of having this exhibition in Goa.

Firstly it was that the villages in the surrounding areas would benefit from the exhibition as it would generate revenue for them. Then they changed the tone and started that the hotels along the coastal belt would earn profits during the off-season. The third was that Goa would be on the world map for hosting an event of such magnitude with so many countries participating at the event.

That was not the end of it. The Defence minister stated that the State would benefit by not spending a single rupee for the infrastructure as it would create its own. But the BJP government had to reveal the truth that the State would spend a whooping Rs. 400 crores for the Defexpo and Aero show. But the remote controlled Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has not outlined what profits the State going to rake in after spending hundreds of crores of rupees. I sure at the end of the 4 day event CM Parsekar will say that Goa will benefit only if Defexpo and Aero show is organised on permanent basis.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his puppet State government then had us believe that they would shift the venue next year because of opposition, but now we realise that he has deceived us and Defexpo will be a permanent event.

This means that the Defence ministry will now possess 6 lakhs sq. mts of land at Naqueri-Quitol. This also means that movement of the locals and others will be hugely restricted. Just like Anjediva island off the coast of Canacona, Bat’s island off the coast of Vasco, Dabolim, Bambolim-Curca, Panjim, Miramar-Campal, Verem, Ravanfond and Cavelossim, now Naqueri-Quitol will be off the limits for Goans.

How does Goa and Goans benefit by handing over huge tracts of land to the Defence forces? Just four days event where the BJP claims to have contracted food stalls and ice-cream stalls to the Goans during the event to earn some profits. Are the profits of 4 days enough to suffice for the entire year.

If one might forget, playing with the sentiments of the locals is the modus operandi of Manohar Parrikar. Do we tend to forget that during the first year of International Film Festival of India (IFFI), he had allowed locals to sets stalls on the Panjim Promenade to curb the rising opposition but today there is no such thing. All these peripheral activities have been stopped, even various contracts for IFFI bagged by Goan entrepreneurs through online bidding is ultimately handed over to a non-Goan players. Today not even a handful of Goans benefit or profit from IFFI being held in Goa. Infact residents of Panjim, Campal and Miramar are harassed during ten days of IFFI as their movement is restricted, garbage piles up and normal life is thrown out of gear.

Defence minister and the BJP government in the State seem to be playing the same game with Defexpo. Undoubtely Defexpo and Aero show is mega event, with serious players dealing, manufacturing, sale and procurement of arms, ammunitions and armaments, communication system, latest gadgetry and defence technology that is required during war, battle, confrontation, infiltration, gathering intelligence etc. It is surely not a cultural festival or a film festival or a 4 day shopping event that Goans are allowed to set-up food stalls and ice-cream stalls.

The individuals in this business are serious players, they do business in boardrooms and five star conference rooms. These folks deal with security of a country are either government representatives or manufacturers or arms dealers. They are not some citizens attending Defexpo to experience and enjoy the culture of a region for them to visit a food stall to taste food or visit an ice-cream stall for dessert. I’m sure that Union Defence minister Manohar Parrikar himself would not be visiting these stalls set-up by Goans.

As said earlier Parrikar and BJP led government in Goa are trying to pull wool over the eyes of the Goans by allowing these food stalls to be run by Goans. We have enough opportunities during the year to showcase Goan cuisine like the food festival, the Wine festival, Aqua festival etc. Ironically even during these festivals, what is displayed is tandoori or Chinese noodles.

Once the event is established this year, one can be assured all these peripheral activities like food stalls and ice cream stalls will not be allowed under the guise of security to those who are attending the Defexpo and Aero shown. Next year if at all the event is held at Naqueri-Betul the government might invite five star hotels to set shop there to cater to the needs of the high and mighty, where middle class people might not be able to afford.

It can be safely concluded that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar works deceivingly. It can be safely deduced that he has handed another 6 lakhs sq. mts of Goa’s scarce and precious land to the security forces against the will of the people. Thus it can be safely said that Manohar Parrikar is no different from other politicians who are ultimately interested in personal benefit rather than the development of State.

Send your comments/reactions to nisserdias@gmail.com Or SMS, whatsapp on (9422437029)

 

 

 

 

Cold Meats salad

Requirements:

500gms. of assorted cold meats of your choice.

One each of yellow and red capsicum/peppers

Lettuce leaves.

Olive Oil

White pepper powder and salt.

Cheese

Preparation:

Cold meats should be finely cut into square pieces of about half inch.

Similarly the yellow and red also cut to same size.

Cheese should be cut into small cubes.

Shredded Lettuce should washed and kept in the fridge to bring out crispiness in them.

Cold meats, capsicums and cheese should be mixed together with little olive oil, sprinkle white pepper powder and salt. Refrigerate it.

At the time of serving add Lettuce leaves to the salad and mix it.

Serve cold.

BJP trying to give our land away for votes to stay in Power.

By Saturnino Rodrigues - Seraulim

The decision of the Cabinet on tabling the Regularisation of Illegal/Unauthorized Structures and Encroachments Bill in the ensuing Budget session of the Goa Legislative Assembly is nothing but a vote bank politics. The government’s clear intention to implement it before the 2017 elections explains it’s shoddy nature and intention, it tries to woo these migrant voters on its side to remain in power and destroy Goa till nothing is left of it.

This exercise will give our precious land to the migrants and others who have dwelt illegally on it and made it their bastion. For the political wizards, this is nothing but a vote bank through a ‘stick and carrot’ method. One could easily identify the intention of the politicians and the present regime is to create a vote-bank on the basis of giving our fertile land to these encroachers’ without fore-seeing the future consequences of such an effort.

Analysis of election results suggests that the concept of vote-banks is a myth. Earlier, the political parties constantly engaged themselves in creating vote-banks based on caste and religion by offering them various incentives or keeping them in fear, subjecting them to certain terms and conditions. The idea was to showcase their political mastery, project themselves as saviours and maintain a complete dominance on these poor individuals.

Intention to garner votes is a part of the strategy of any political party and consequences are never taken into account. It will be too late when the government will realize that the vote bank they created is no longer faithful to them and sometime later becomes an asset of their opponents. This time, they may start targeting them in one or the other form to succumb to their political tactics. The present beneficiary or voter can be the momentary sufferer but Goan land in his legal possession is an asset added to their own value, they may not wish to care for those momentary sufferings.

Slums at Zuarinagar

In the present situation where our land will be given on a platter if the Bill is passed in the Assembly, Goa will be at a great loss. Here, no caste or religion involved but all stands on one common ground – illegal dwelling. The politicians well know that they can catch a variety of voters irrespective of caste or creed in a single net. Those who occupy our land illegally are presently living in common fear that they will be evicted from illegal occupation. If the present government could make their stay legal, it is surely a reciprocating “thank you” in the form of votes for the present government no matter what religion or caste one may belong. There is a vast variety of populace in Goa specially migrants who have occupied our prime Communidade and other government land where they have built shanties, named them as different “Nagars” as if the piece of land was brought from their native place. This is evident from the outskirts of Vasco, Zuari, Margao, Chimbel and other vast parts of Goa. They have a huge vote populace and is a sure vote bank of those politicians who mushroomed them in these areas. Remember once Shri. Digambar Kamat said about Monte Dongor that his voters from the area are enough to get him safely elected, he do not depend on the votes of the actual Goans. Another example of the dependent on such voters is Mauvin Godinho, like many other politicians. Attributing victory to a vote-bank in such circumstances is a valid conclusion.

Monte Dongor in Margao

The present government’s political strategy may intend to create a vote-bank in favor of their party that rules Goa at the moment. The major beneficiaries will be the occupants of our land in clear understanding that favour is done for votes only and not with the intention of providing them shelter or for their welfare. However, it should be recognized that power hungry personality-led political parties try to create their political bases along caste and community lines but now on the basis of free land in the form of legalizing the illegal occupation of these individuals.

Goans must realize from the move of the present government to regularize the illegal structures that it is working in its own interest to secure the vote bank. The present government has miserably failed to respond to the popular demands of the general public. The Medium of Instruction Bill that it promised to pass in early January, 2016 is deeply frozen. Its promise that it will remove the Casinos from River Mandovi within two years of coming to power is yet to see the light of the day. The voice of the people is suppressed.

Are we slowly seeing the reflection of Indira Gandhi’s days of Emergency? Isn’t it true that the present government is working against the wishes of the people? Take for example, the issue of MOPA Airport, the DefExpo, Helicopter joy rides, Tiracol land grab and so many other issues concerning Goa, the welfare of Goans are not taken into consideration. The government has failed to open a dialogue with the people. It has alienated the Goans from itself but want to embrace the migrant vote bank solely to remain in power. And it has identified that the only way to do it is to compromise our prime land, deliver it on a platter to the illegal dwellers and squatters to get their votes in return.

Once the deed is done, we shall see that the same being sold to the builders and no one will be able to stop these beneficiaries from selling the same and earn a lucrative amount of money. And then encroach on another piece of land, somewhere else once again. They know that the politicians will return back to them to legalize it once again when politicians run out of votes and moral ethics. Votes from illegal settlers can be an assurance against political bankruptcy for the politicians and political parties. For politicians, this is yet another game with sure dividends.

Pasta

What you require:

Pasta 500gms

A can of Tuna chucks in sunflower oil

A pack of cocktail sausages

250gms of Egg/Eggless Mayonnaise

250gms of Cheese spread

Two large sized onions

White Pepper powder

Preparation:

Boil pasta as per direction on the packet. Can add salt to taste. After pasta is boiled, empty the water and immediately add olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking to each other. Cover the lid to keep pasta hot. (Do not use metal ladle to paste as it will break).

Finely chopped onion has to be tossed in the frying with olive oil to rid it of acidic taste.

The skin from Tuna chucks should be cleaned and the chucks have to be pressed almost into paste. (Do not put in the mixer. Use a fork) Cocktails had to be cut round but very finely. Mix tuna, cocktails, onion, mayo, cheese spread and little pepper.

Finally pour the mixture to pasta and toss it well till it blends with each other.

Serve hot

 

Airport at Mopa will be a disaster for the ecology

By Nihar Gokhale  

Goa is getting a new airport. It is coming up at Mopa, a small plateau in the state's northern Pernem taluka. In the pipeline for some 15 years, the airport got a green clearance on 28 October 2015.

While the clearance was still being considered, a group of environmentalists did a month-long study, between December 2014 and January 2015, of the Rs 3,000-crore airport's proposed location.

This is what they found in the area where the government wants to build an airport serving an estimated 31 million passengers a year.

•44 freshwater springs

•174 species of birds

•37 mammals

•41 reptiles

•4 sacred groves

A satellite view of the Mopa plateau.

It has since emerged, through several such independent studies, that the environmental clearance to the Mopa airport is a joke.

The project threatens several endangered wildlife and plant species, as it does a unique water recharge system that provides for thousands of people as well as countless ecosystems.

Green clearances are granted based on a study called the Environment impact assessment. Indeed, it's the EIA that should do what the environmentalists did in Mopa.

Instead, the EIA for this airport mentions the presence of mice, cats and dogs where, it turns out, leopards and bisons roam.

Catch has written about how EIAs are done by agencies hired by the project's promoters -- a blatant conflict of interest written into the Environment Impact Assessment notification, 2011.

Mopa is probably the best example of how EIAs, and the entire environment clearance process, actively threatens ecological sustainability in this country. In the below blueprint of the proposed airport, coloured dots show spots where wildlife has been sighted. This includes leopards, bisons and pangolins, which are accorded the highest protection under Indian wildlife law.

The plateau is home to hundreds
of species of plants and animals

The EIA for the Mopa airport claims that "there are no major wild animals" in the area, and that it does not fall within 10 km of any wildlife corridor or protected area.

One scientist had to walk no more than 500 metres along one of the streams to find signs of the vulnerable Smooth-coated Otters. Atul Borker, a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Otter Specialist Group, found that the mammals were staying around not just for the water, they were feasting on crabs and turtles that thrive in the streams.

During another study, Borker, along with wildlife biologist Girish Punjabi, walked about 17 km and found signs of three endangered animals -- leopard, gaur and Indian pangolin. All three are accorded the highest protection under Indian the law, that's Schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act. The pangolin is classified as "critically endangered" by the IUCN.

They also found giant squirrel, common palm civet, sambar, wild pigs - animals listed among Schedule II, III and IV species.

Yet another group of scientists - ecologist Aparna Watve and wildlife biologist Sanjay Thakur - found the peacock, also a Schedule I bird.

But this is what the EIA found: common house mouse, common house rat, domestic cat, domestic dog, domestic cattle, three-striped palm squirrel, jackal, fox and hare. "There is no visual sighting of any threatened species," it added for good measure.

It turns out, as Watve and Thakur found, that the EIA was done in a single season - winter of 2013 - which is not enough to gauge the full extent of biodiversity. They also point out that the report, bizarrely, mentions sand dune habitats when the site is far away from the coast.

In fact, according to a verdict of the Bombay High Court, forests between Sindhudurg and Dodamarg are a wildlife corridor. This falls well within 10 km of the airport, contrary to what the EIA claims. There have also been several incidents of elephants within a 10 km vicinity of the airport.

In addition to threatening endangered plants and animals, building an airport at Mopa would likely cut off a major source of water to thousands of people. The monsoon rain is soaked by the porous laterite rocks on the plateau, and this water eventually finds its way into springs and as groundwater.

A study by the renowned groundwater expert Himanshu Kulkarni shows that the Mopa plateau is anything but barren land. It recharges over 2 billion litres of water every year. That works out to over 6 million litres per day, nearly as much as a medium-sized dam holds.

In this map, blue dots indicate freshwater springs and blue streaks show the path of streams. It is clear how the airport will choke most of these water sources.

This water flows out of perennial springs and into streams. Besides fulfilling local water needs, it supports the rich wildlife and tree cover in the region as well as countless habitations by feeding rivers.

Even though the airport directly blocks several springs -- the runway will literally be built over at least three -- the clearances allow it to draw water from an irrigation canal, which is fed by the Tillari dam in Maharashtra.

And Tillari has been struggling to provide enough water to households and for irrigating fields in the region. The people displaced by the project have frequently been damaging the canal, demanding that they be properly compensated first.

Sadly enough, as the environmentalists found, the exceptional concentration of life on the small Mopa plateau is because ecosystems elsewhere have been destroyed.

There are four sacred groves on the plateau. And a Buddhist-era cave that ought to be protected as an archaeological monument.



Dr Madhav Gadgil during
a visit to the plateau.



"The environment clearance is absolutely wrong. The EIA has wrong facts, and there is enough proof for that," eminent ecologist Madhav Gadgil, who led a panel to examine the eco-sensitivity of the Western Ghats region, told Catch. Gadgil visited the plateau last monsoon on a study tour.

"If you are going to ignore all the evidence and still give an environment clearance then you are clearly being undemocratic," he said, adding, "Some EIAs are exceptionally bad, the one for Mopa airport is one of them."



But don't be surprised that the EIA for the Mopa airport is sub-standard. It was prepared by a public sector firm, Engineers India Limited. The problem isn't just that it's controlled by the same government that wanted the airport to be cleared. It's that EIL's main business is building oil refineries, and oil and gas processing plants. As such, the firm earns more money destroying nature than evaluating it.

Then again, there is a good reason why there is no point in even discussing the merits of this case: the government had made up its mind to give green clearance to the project even before the expert body recommended its approval.

The large amount of water stored
by the plateau supports lush green forests
and agricultural fields in the vicinity.

Eleven days before the clearance was finally granted, environment minister Prakash Javadekar was in Goa to attend a business forum. Speaking to a local newspaper, he did not mince words: "Mopa is essential for the development of Goa and my ministry will always have a positive viewpoint on any development project of a state."

An appeal challenging the environment clearance has been admitted by the National Green Tribunal's western zone bench in Pune. The bench has sought responses from the Goa government and other agencies. The tribunal has the power to cancel the environment clearance on the grounds that it's based on erroneous information. The next hearing is on 17 March.

Side note: A new legislation being pushed by Javadekar's ministry would create a new tribunal to hear challenges such clearances instead of the NGT. But this new tribunal would have none of the independence of the NGT as all its members would be government employees.

 Edited by Mehraj D. Lone

… and the people be dammed

The BJP government in the state seems to have the least concern for the very people who voted them to power during the 2012 Assembly elections. At that time the corrupt ministers in the Congress government seemed to be a megalomaniac - interested only in amassing wealth.

But in comparison the corrupt Congress is dwarfed by the dishonest, crooked, communal ministers in the current BJP government including the high command who now rules from Delhi. The BJP government in Goa is not dividing communities’ just on communal lines but have now adopted a new strategy of splitting villagers by sponsoring, abetting and pitching neighbours against neighbours in the same locality.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

They used this strategy in Pernem. When one group started protesting against airport at Mopa as it would destroy agricultural land, flora and fauna , BJP allegedly groomed another group who began demanded that airport be set-up in Mopa as it would generate employment.

Similar plan was adopted at Tiracol when villagers rose against Leading Hotels who tried to bulldoze the villages to set up golf course in their village.

In Naqueri-Betul too same tactic is being used to counter the protestors. Some villagers sponsored by the BJP are propped up to demand that Defexpo be held in the village.

CM Laxmikant Parsekar

In this manner the social fabric of the society, the secular nature and inherent harmony of the villagers is being slaughtered by the BJP government. And the sooner we get rid of the BJP government in the State and at the Union level is better for Goa and India as a whole.

For the BJP any opposition to its plans are unacceptable, even if it means that their policies are detrimental and disastrous to the people and environment. Instead of engaging with the people and leading citizens along the BJP isolates the general public by imposing their ideas on them. Basically it translates into that the BJP does not believe in Democracy – when it is defined that the Government should be of the people, by the people and for the people as enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Ironically though at some point BJP also finds itself at the smoking end of the rifle as being currently experienced in the Parliament. During the erstwhile UPA rule in the country, BJP would not allow the Parliament to function. The Opposition is using the same scheme to thwart the functioning of the Parliament inspite of Prime Minister begging the Opposition to allow it to conduct business. It is a situation where the ruling political party is getting paid in its own coin.

Be that as it may since it is at the political level where one party or the other play the same games of cat and mouse, but when the government in power starts suppressing people’s voice or dissent through dictatorial means and methods then the citizenry begin to open its eyes which usually leads to revolt. And thankfully that revolt is seen at the time of the elections. In case of full-blown revolution it would end up in bloodshed of tens of thousands of innocent lives and that is what the BJP government in Goa is doing. It is inciting, provoking, goading and testing the patience of Goans by imposing and compelling them to accept their ideas. And to implement those ideas it is pitching villagers, neighbours and families against each other.

Goans had urged the BJP in 2012 to get back some part of huge area that is under the possession of the defence forces. But instead for Chief Minister and current Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is scouting for more land in Goa for the defence forces.

The military besides possessing huge tracts of land in Rawanfond on the outskirts of Margao and Bambolim-Curca also has land in Panjim and Campal. The land at Bambolim-Curca is so huge covering two villages. The Defexpo could be held there. But instead Manohar Parrikar seems to be acting as the official real-estate dealer for the defence forces.

As a Goan, ruling over the Defence ministry we expected him to issue instructions to the Navy to allow Goans to celebrate their annual feast at St. Anjediva island off the coast of Canacona which belongs to the State, but as a meek puppy Manohar Parrikar has accepted the refusal of the Navy.

Chapel at Anjediva Island

That brings us to another question. If the Navy cannot maintain security for 10 ten days of novenas and feast how can we trust the Navy to give security cover to the entire nation in times war. Or is that the Navy is suspicious that allowing this tradition to continue would mean that Goa is the true owner of the island?

The nitty-gritty and legality of the possession apart, Manohar Parrikar has completely failed us. It was very a weak effort on the part of defenceless Defence Minister to impress us by addressing a press conference to inform that he will conduct an enquiry about the golf course in the land usurped at Dabolim by the Navy.

This golf course has been in existence for more than two decades now and if Manohar Parrikar did not know about it or had heard about it, it is a shame as a former Chief Minister and Opposition leader of the State for many years.

But then the Goans know his tactics very well that he was trying to pull wool over our eyes and distract us from Defexpo.

Mr. Defence Minister Goans are not as gullible or fools as you think.