Goa’s famed Fish,
Curry and Rice is purposely being destroyed
Bharat Mukti Morcha expresses deep shock over the State
government decision to dump Garbage in Paddy fields under cultivation of rice
and vegetables at Aquem, Margao. Around 40 Farmers families are cultivating
land actively, and government under police protection has fenced paddy fields
all set to dump the Garbage. The cultivators affected are mostly from Tribal community
that is known for farming skills from several generations. These farmers along
with members of Public have been creating awareness amongst public in order to
object the State decision. One of the larger awareness programs of collecting
pubic signatures is underway in Margao and Navelim in Salcete. Large numbers of
people were seen signing the petition against Garbage dumping proposal located
near Margao railway station. Members of the farming community were seen
carrying copy of the High Court Order in Public Interest Litigation (WP 45 of
2019) and explaining to Public implications of such a shift in dumping from
Sonsodo to Aquem, Margao.
Bharat Mukti Morcha expresses support and solidarity with
the protesting famers and their families struggling to save their livelihood
based farming. It is not known whether Goa Government or the Goa Bench of
Bombay High Court has carried/ ordered on any studies to find out known impacts
on farming in cases of Garbage dumping. It is also not known whether Goa
Government or the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court has carried on the studies of
Psychological traumas (Solastalgia) that affected families are likely to suffer
due to forceful dumping of Garbage in their paddy fields. If these studies are
carried on then it is not known if the results are shared with the affected
families and in Public domain. If these studies are not carried on they garbage
cannot be dumped in paddy fields.
Few months ago Goa Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant was
reported in press lamenting that Goa has to depend upon neighboring States for
the supply of Food and had called upon people of Goa to take up Agriculture.
Why then Goa Chief Minister is not intervening in this matter to stop
destruction of agriculture and increase food security of Goa? Or is it the case that Goa Government is
determined to stop cultivation of paddy fields because they are being
cultivated by Gawdas, tribal community? Will Goa Government and its various
arms respond the same way if the cultivators of paddy fields were Bamons? Are
State agencies determined to carry forward program of Cultural genocide of
Goa’s tribal people? Few years ago the same paddy fields were under attack by
Goa Government for organizing RSS convention for several days. Farmers that
time in collaborations with others including Bharat Mukti Morcha fought back protected
their paddy fields. Now time has come again for another fight and Bharat Mutki
Morcha supports the affected farmers of Margao and Navelim.
Severe pressure is exercised by vested interests including
State and Central government agencies to destroy agriculture in Goa. Mining,
Real Estate, widening of highways, breaching of bunds like in Vanxim Island,
etc has contributed towards destruction
of agriculture in a major way. Severe pressure is also exercised on Goa’s
Tribal People (Gawdas) by attempting to destroy their occupations and sources
of livelihoods. Destruction of agriculture at Aquem, Margao is latest example
but not the only one. In Nauxim tribal people (Gawdas) are termed Shudras and
sought to be put under pressure by destroying their livelihood systems based on
fishing by implanting AHOY Marina in Zuari river by MPT in violation of SSFGuidelines. Goa’s unique riverine agriculture known as Puran Xhethi practiced by tribal people (Gawdas) in Sattari inside
River Mhadei is destroyed though flooding for mini check dams to store fresh water. No one protested
allowed this practice of agriculture to cease. People were scared away by
telling them that order to flood river has come from Delhi and it cannot be
challenged. Now Mhadei river itself is allowed to be diverted for another dam
inside Karnataka and there is some hopeful signs of protests. We hope that
these protests will also call for revival of Puran Xhethi in Sattari. Leadership of Tribal People (Gawdas) in
Goa needs to be sensitive to the systematic ongoing cultural genocide and draw
up plans to counter the same. Margao and Navelim Tribal People (Gawdas) must
not allow themselves to be used and
abused by petty politicians but align themselves with capable organisations of
tribal people like that of Adivasi Sanghatna based in Quepem. Adivasi Sanghatna
too on its part must take pro-active approach and reach out to tribal
communities in Margao and Navelim. Goa’s Tribal Affairs Minister Govind Gawde
must act decisively as a representative of tribal communities and uphold rights
of affected farmers in this case and draw and implement long term plan to
protect livelihood of tribal people particularly Gawdas, Velips and Kunbis in
the light of International Law governing Indigenous People of the World (UN
Convention on Indigenous People).
Garbage problems of Goa are increasing and becoming
uncontrollable with increase in urbanization and rise in industrialization
leading to rise in plastic products. Process of Urbanization needs to be
reversed. Existing cities in Goa needs to shrink and reduce. Goa needs to move
towards de-urbanization. Rural areas need to be regenerated. Garbage facilities
and processing must be arranged at city and village for its own garbage. If cities cannot treat its own garbage then
reduce size of the cities to make them garbage manageable. Stop expansion of
cities by taking over village lands. Under no circumstances agriculture lands must
be utilized for Garbage dumping.
Few years ago Sangeeta Sonak in her writings has claimed
that Gawdas and Bamons has jointly worked towards reclamation of coastal lands
to make Goa what it is. This can be the subject of historical investigations
either to prove it right or wrong but right now Bamons at various positions of
powers should collaborate to defend paddy field of farmers at Aquem, near
Margao Railway station at this is the case of not only cultural genocide of
Gawdas but also classic example of environmental racism wherein State is
manufacturing consent to destroy livelihood of people with the backing of law.
Food is one of the primary needs of life on par with clothing, shelter and
education. State and Judiciary must interpret Law and statues in order to
uphold Life that is Fundamental right in Constitution of India under Article 21
and not otherwise. Do life of Gawdas, Kunbis, Velips matter in Goa? Or is it
that Gawdas, Kunbis, Velips matter only to sell their dances to promote tourism
as Goan culture? Where is the respect for Goa’s tribal people? Is dumping of
Garbage in the land where they cultivate paddy is a sign of respect or sign of
insult? The insult for sure. We protest. Paddy fields must be left alone for cultivation of paddy as currently being done twice a year.
Maggie Silveira,
President
Maggie Silveira,
President
