*MOPA, MICROCOSM OF* *OVERDEVELOPMENT*
Elvidio Miranda The writing is on the wall. Many, many years of badly planned so-called development has landed Goa in a quagmire, from which it will find difficult to extricate from due to the unchecked greying of Goa which has consumed a lot of forest lands, hills, paddy fields and even large portions of land which were actually idyllic tourist attractions. One major case in question is the fate of Mopa which is still facing opposition by their only organization against its construction to preserve their naturally endowed land. Named as the Mopa Vimantal Pidit Xetkari Samiti which is still trying tooth and nail to resist the forces which seem to be bulldozing the construction of the airport, in violation of National Green Tribunal order not to cut trees, this organization is one that should be given credit for their fight against the government to impose upon the people a project which is against the express wishes of the people. In fact trees are being cut and the roots are being dug out probably to leave no evidence in collusion with the Forest Department officials who are turning a blind eye of this massive ravaging of the plateau which is a hot-spot of biodiversity, home to many varieties of endangered animal species such as bisons, squirrels, pangolins, porcupines, monkeys, wild boars, leopards, deer, civet cats and many others birds and butterflies that adorn this place and diverse flora. Goa’s so-called development can be analyzed by taking the example of Mopa in itself which is an irony. Imagine that the tourists come to Goa because of its greenery and its diverse flora and fauna. Now consider that Mopa in itself is a place which is a microcosm of what Goa has to offer to the discerning tourist and if this place in itself is being converted into an airport which is supposed to bring in more tourists, but the same tourists who wanted to actually marvel the flora and fauna of Mopa, but on coming to Goa are not impressed with what they find here, then we have to agree that the Goa government is trying to fly in tourists by building Mopa but is not conserving bio-diverse areas such as Mopa which is actually where tourists want to visit. The measly compensation of Rs. 25 to Rs. 80 per square metre of land which is being paid by the government to the displaced people will be devoured by the big money flowing from huge corporate companies who making use of the formation of PDA in Mopa, will considerably consume the land around Mopa with huge five star hotels which will turn to naught the measly sums that they are being paid. Also, it is pertinent to note that the six-lane highway that is being built connecting the South to North will in a major way divest the people of the South Goa, including the multi-star hotels from earning as new big projects will sprout around Mopa. The people of the South should fight tooth and nail at least to prevent the construction of the six-lane highway otherwise the south will lose considerable business and their livelihoods. Overdevelopment of Goa seems like bringing Goa to the brink of a situation in which even the tourists are beginning to look for other destinations. It is observed that foreign tourist arrivals have declined in Goa. If tourism collapses in the state, with the mining industry facing a bleak future, Goans will have hardly any other option to depend on since the quality of ores are also not of high grade and any way mining is not a permanent source of income but only as long as iron ore is available. Goa is very soon going to find itself in a major dilemma as a sizable population is dependent on tourism, which should be nurtured judiciously. END