Tomas Amansio Rodrigues made some bold statements about Vanxim Island and politicians' attempt to connect it via bridge in Herald on 22nd September 2024 in his article titled "Triple blows threatens Island of Divar".
https://epaper.heraldgoa.in/article/oHeraldo?OrgId=229388a4b4d&eid=1&imageview=0&standalone=1&device=desktop
We take up his important observations for reflections in some detail - sentence by sentence - from 16 sentences about Vanxim with gratitude to Tomas AmansioRodrigues.
1. "Announcement by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on 24 August 2024 during harvest festival in Divar to construct bridge connecting Divar island to Vanxim Island." This announcement is the first threat to Divar Island and foremost threat to Vanxim Island as well threatening the very identity of the two islands in the first place.
2. "Chief Minister's statement coming at a cultural festival surprised many as the long term residents of Divar." In fact the utterances from Chief Minister were much more than surprise. They were shocking indeed. The harvest festival of Bonderam got coup in its very essence from being festival of harvest that was observed by local communidade till some decades ago to festival of real estate (Rajdeep builders and Vianaar) and other corporate ( Coca cola) bonanza. How did this transition happened? Who are the people at the leadership position of PYA allowed such a massive real estate and corporate takeover of Divar's Bonderam?
3. "Divadkars have always opposed a bridge." This is indeed significant collective decision of Divar people that has ensured safety of Divar from rapid and voracious real estate predators. Divadkars deserve appreciation from one and all.
4. "It is only few new residents of Divar that are in favour of bridge." Most of these residents are from different parts of India, accustomed to lifestyle that is different, and often hostile to ethos of Divar Island. They can settle in Divar thanks to the historical annexure of Goa through conquest by India.
5. "Besides, there has never been any demand for bridge from Vanxim, a small island connected to Divar via ferry." This is indeed so. There has never been a demand for bridge from Vanxim. The first time the idea of bridge got seeded in 2010 after Goa Archbishop's office twin sale deeds of February 11, 2006 involving paddy fields of Vanxim to Mahendra Gaunekar and his wife Sonali Gaunekar surfaced on the media. In August 2015 Mahendra Gaunekar sold off same Paddy fields to Ozone Leisure Private Limited for over 15 crore rupees. Few people from Vanxim got deceived then and were used as mouthpiece calling for the bridge connecting Vanxim. Many have realized their copirate hijacking. In fact corporate records reveals bridge as one of the primary requirements (other requirement being construction of retaining wall around entire Vanxim island) to see through realization of installation of five star hotel, luxury villas, helipad, Golf Course and Marina in the middle of Mandovi river inside the paddy fields: unusual harvest plans!
6. "Vanxim has about dozen houses that are inhabited through the year." Yes, slightly more than a dozen to be precise. People of Vanxim gradually moved away from Vanxim to settle all over Goa, India and even beyond.
7. "Other houses remain close most of the year, with people coming there only on holidays." Yes, people visit Vanxim in the month of April-May-June, few in December too.
8. "If one conducts cost-benefit analysis of a bridge to this island, then surely cost will outweigh the benefits." Yes, Ferry services serves well to the island. Avoiding direct road connectivity had protected Vanxim from real estate invasion. Bridge construction will pave way to swallowing of Vanxim Island by corporate greed. Chopdem-Siolim bridge has facilitated tourism invasion of coastal coastal Pernem at unprecedented scale to a level that local people are subjected to acute distress.
9. "I am not merely referring to financial costs here but also to environmental costs." In addition to financial and environmental costs there are also social costs that are never taken into account but very important. One can have peaceful sleep in Vanxim without any vehicular disturbances. Only disturbances in awful odors at Amboi ferry junction due to release of sewage into Mandovi river through underground pipeline from hotel closeby to Ferry ramp.
10. "A bridge cannot be erected without approach roads at either ends." Yes, this is valid poin raised. Huge amount of land on both the islands will have to utilized for approach road to erect the bridge. This is simply bad idea.
11. "Vanxim is so small an island, that one wonders where the approach road will be built." Yes, Vanxim as island doesn't have sufficient land for such suicidal projects.
12. "Similarly on Divar end, where will approach road begin?" Yes, Divar or Malar stands to loose its land.
13. "How much land will be lost to this, and how many hills be be cut to create the approach roads?" Yes, this is good dimension brought into debate. Mining has ready slashed so many hills of Goa already. Mulgao, Advalpal, Sirgao, Bicholim are already pointers in this direction.
14. "The benefits of such a bridge, if any, will be only be available to corporates who have for long eye on Vanxim to develop it for tourism purposes." This correct. Bridge is primarily motivation from corporates as they already have most of Vanxim geography under their fraudulent control.
15. "This has been opposed in the past and will be opposed in the future." Yes, it continues to be opposed.
16. "It is obvious to us islanders that the bridge to Vanxim is only to facilitate luxury tourism and 11 households will be displaced once bridge comes up." Yes, attempts for far towards displacements are opposed and opposition continues.
Additionally it must be acknowledged that political leadership including Cumbharjua MLA and Goa Chief Minister are taking up the Vanxim bridge cause is clear indication that their nexus with corporates is firm. Corporate interest is masked and dark faces behind the mask is traceable rather easily.
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