How many of Goa’s hills and trees must be cut before it realises they must be left alone?
Goa can find the answer to this in the repercussions of the mindless hill-cutting and tree-felling being felt in the innumerous landslides and flooding across the State during recent monsoons.
It has been pursuing development at a furious pace, razing down hills, agricultural land, orchards and forests to erect swanky residential and commercial properties for additional State revenues and windfall gains of lobby groups.
All this is transforming it from a lushly green and scenic destination to a concrete jungle.
All this is transforming it from a lushly green and scenic destination to a concrete jungle.
Understandably, Goa needs to keep pace with development, but this needs to be done in a legal, systematic and planned manner. Town planning and urban development laws have been legislated keeping in mind protection of the State’s ecology and environment.
They need to be followed to the letter, and violators should be put on the hook to prevent catastrophic natural disasters. The noose of law hardly ever tightens around lawbreakers.
Ironically, a widely believed city-lore is that Goa’s capital city derives its name – Panaji or Panjim – from the word ‘Ponjy’, meaning the land that never floods.
It’s another matter that the city has become prone to flooding at the first downpour or shower every year because of unplanned and unregulated development. Goa, prick up your ears, and listen.
Ironically, a widely believed city-lore is that Goa’s capital city derives its name – Panaji or Panjim – from the word ‘Ponjy’, meaning the land that never floods.
How many lives must be lost on Goa’s roads before it puts a brake on unruly traffic, over-speeding and drunken driving?
Over the past few years, Goa’s tourism boom has coincided with massive migration into the State from other parts of the country. This phenomenon has led to vehicular population swelling even as improvement in infrastructure and road condition lags.
And, with little being done to control drunken or careless driving and over-speeding, moving around Goa’s roads on vehicles – especially two wheelers – has become somewhat fatal.
Data shows that the number of road accidents have slipped from over 4,300 in 2015 to around 2,800 in 2023, but the deaths due to these accidents continue to remain the same or high.
Today’s road accidents in Goa are more fatal than before as authorities grapple to control traffic and enforce traffic rules. Almost every day, newspaper headlines scream of lives being lost in road accidents.
Goa’s roads have become murderous because they are unable to take the stress of rising vehicle numbers. The two main causes are over-speeding and drunken driving, exposing two-wheeler riders to the high risk of being fatally hit.
Goa’s roads have become murderous because they are unable to take the stress of rising vehicle numbers. The two main causes are over-speeding and drunken driving, exposing two-wheeler riders to the high risk of being fatally hit.
The answer lies in enforcing traffic rules and regulating traffic with an iron hand. So many Goan lives can be saved if every rider wore his helmet, every driver fastened his seat belt, adhered to the speed limit and did not drive after drinking.
Goa, hear the fervent whispers of the blowing wind.
How much litter and muck must Goa’s beaches and roads endure before it says it’s enough?
The once-pristine beaches, villages and cities of Goa are now littered with waste hurled around by tourists with impunity.
On a windy day, the light-weight plastic bags and food wrappings, chucked with a flourish, are lifted in the air and fly all over before they get washed away into the sea or drains.
Goa’s residents know the ecological nightmares they cause.
Then, Goa heard about microplastic pollution on its beaches and in rivers. Microplastics are small plastic particles formed from degradation of plastic that have been found in marine life, drinking water and some food products. They can cause serious health risks.
A recent report titled ‘Microplastic pollution in the Chapora River, Goa, Southwest India: spatial distribution and risk assessment’ notes that the source of this pollution is “mostly anthropogenic” – originating from human activities.
Another study by Goa’s National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) indicates a high level of microplastics in the Sal Estuary. Microplastics release toxic chemicals into the water that enter marine species and can harm humans consuming them.
Its harmful effects can be checked though efficient plastic waste management and reducing the use of plastics. Besides microplastics, Goa’s waterbodies also need to be cleansed of a lot of other wastes, which gets spewed back on to the shore or the river banks.
Goa, listen to the call.