The 22 days between 16th October (last post) and 5th November went by in a whirlwind of activities, personal disappointments, working through the motions of existential quandary, changing strategy, working on another project and visiting friends in North Goa, which is an entirely different cultural experience from the south.
More on all the said subjects later.
But for now, some updates. A little breakdown of the good, and the bad.
The Bad – Destruction of forested slope resumed
Remember the deeply forested plateau region of Loutolim that was being ravaged to build a four-lane highway, and how protestors managed to put a stop to all activity till a public meeting was held? Well, its back on in full swing. Cops guard the area now, and the officials concerned simply say it needs continue because the chief minister gave strict orders, and because it is a national project. So we are back to square one on that.
The Good – National media writes about the coal in Goa
The coal issue has received national media coverage thanks to a cracker series of investigative stories carried out by The Indian Express last week. They did a seven-part series on the subject, called “Coal Burying Goa: An Express Investigation” and gave a systematic breakdown of how the roads, railways and waterways networks are being enhanced by the government to allow carriage of greater quantities of coal. Subject of gossip amid social circles all over the country now. Yay.
The Bad – Paid media strikes
As a result of this series, the state ministry officials have come out to deny the existence of pollution in the city. Chief minister Parrikar said that the media is unnecessarily creating an atmosphere of fear. Some papers back him, and Gomantak Times released a two-page story last Sunday about how clean the coal handling at MPT is,rubbishing The Indian Express without naming it.
The Good – Activists striking back
The small, but growing group of activists fighting the coal movement in Goa have now thrown an open invitation to the CM to spend a month near the coal dust ridden areas of Sada and Bogda. They have also started putting up relevant images. Social media might just turn out to become the hero of this fight, if the right people win this fight.
The good – Activists forming a stronger bond
The activists are forming a more tight-knit group, becoming increasingly more motivated to work towards the movement. The come from a variety of backgrounds – contractors, merchant navy, nuns, teachers, doctors, laweyers…they have identified their roles, and are performing them with passion and perseverance. Groups on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp helps them to keep in constant touch with each other and gives a sense of belongingess. This is Environmentalism 2.0.
The goodest good of them all – Win at almost all Gram Sabhas
Gram Sabhas are being held every Sunday for the last three weeks. A gram sabha is an important meeting of all the residents of the village. The gram sabha takes place four times a year. Resolutions passed in gram sabhas are legally binding. In the current gram sabhas, a common resolution against coal and nationalisation of rivers is being passed. There are over 190 villages in Goa; each has its own gram sabha. 190 Gram Sabhas, One resolution. Sends a powerful message to the government — “Don’t mess with our land and water.”