GOANS NEED TO TEND OUR NATURE AND MEND OUR WAY By: Dr. Joe D’Souza, Retd Professor of Goa University and Social Activist-Panjim-Goa
Just as it is instinctive for the mosquito to survive on blood and exhibit parasitic tendencies with human hosts as the target victims, in Goa we sadly have the insidious mining dependent lobby ever active targeting Goan natural mineral resources as a source sustenance and livelihood. For a parasite the health and the survival of the host is secondary, as long as the mosquito is able to suck as much blood for its requirement and more it is of no consequence if the host dies as a result of parasitism or pathogenicity. An epidemic can wipe off populations and societies but parasitism as a way of living is a way of life in lower forms of life. Unfortunately human society has fallen prey to this vicious, inimical and self destructive way of life which has transformed mankind from being hard working hunter, a diligent farmer or a productive labourer involved in improving the quality of life and living standards of people into being a parasite involved in plundering, polluting and destroying sustainability of our ecosystems. It is a matter of shame that after over 3000 million years of earth’s history and about 20,000 years of human evolution that a Goan who for over centuries depended upon the solar energy for sustainability and development of our society has now considered it imperative that the rich iron ore and other natural deposits are a source of livelihood and sustenance. Like the organs of the human body have vital roles to play, the minerals in the earth’s surface too have implicit functions. While the human blood could be regenerated we still are not able to reconstruct and regenerate the human organs. Similarly the minerals in our earth’s crust are finite and have a defined purpose. When we donate or extract vital organs, donate them or ever abuse them through trade involved in illegal selling of our parts of our body, there is a handicap for the survival of those living on defective organs and body parts. In Goa there is a lot of tom-toming and tom-foolery about the need for legal mining in Goa. There is absolutely no knowledge or understanding that iron ore formations in Goa are absolutely necessary for the percolation, adsorption, absorption and transmission of water inside the bowels of the earth, but distribution of precious water on the surface of the Goan land mass. It is because of blood that oxygen is delivered to and from lungs and impurities is eliminated through our kidney making life pleasing and comfortable. So as life without blood and kidneys become a nightmare for the diseased individual so also the depleting iron ore from the environment, diseased and sick, be it legal or otherwise. Mining damages nature’s productivity and health. It is a sad reality that we are unable to understand the wisdom of the Chinese people while protecting the health of their natural resources, ecology and environment for posterity and future generations, our government with squinted vision do not see the importance of the branded iron and other mineral formations beyond extraction, sale and collecting dollars for a few greedy mine owners, whilst allowing the common man to reel under various respiratory diseases, damaged agriculture and hunger be it victims of iron, manganese and heavy metal polluted waters that damage our physiology, affect adversely our organs, specifically our kidneys and degrade the quality of life of our people, who have sustained over 10,000 years, without mining parasitism. It is a tragedy for Goa and Goans that we have amongst us those proclaiming that mining is sustainable, when common sense tells that mineral resource is finite, non-renewable and heaped up in China, whilst Goan hills are ripped, raped and incapacitated for its water holding capacity and distribution and a gene pool for bio-diversity and economic sustainability. Fortunately, the Shah Commission, the Centrally Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court, the Goa Foundation and a holistically thinking environmental group has defied the aggressive approach of parasitic mining activities. It is atrocious that there are no mining Management Plans and after mining the abandoned pits are not back-filled, land reconstituted and the forest regenerated. The best approach of the Supreme Court is to force upon the Goa government and the parasites in the mining industry to back-fill, reclaim and rehabilitate all the butchered hills and re-vegetate the reclaimed mining pits, which are today responsible for leaching out toxic heavy metals through the veins, tributaries of flood waters during the monsoons and keep the mining villages parched and thirsty during the summers. No mining should be allowed, instead agricultural bio-productivity, animal husbandry and solar energy derived bio-mass and bio-fuel directed to sustain Goa for eternity must be thrust upon, so that the branded iron still remaining can help Goans in the generations to come sustain itself eternally on commercial exploitation of the gene pool, eco-system and nature’s elements for generations to come. Today iron ore parasitism can only remain for another 50 years and deprive our coming generations these vital organs of our mother earth for eternity. We must petition the Supreme Court not only on our own behalf but specifically on behalf of the generations to come that no mineral exports be allowed in Goa as our generation has already over-exploited and damage Goa for eternity in a big way and we must say no to the final straws on the camel’s back i.e. Goa of our dreams. The Goan mineral ore is not destined to make the dollar weak or directed towards strengthening the purchasing power of a few mine owners for another 50 years but allow us to perennially harness the fresh water, accumulating each monsoon and generating wealth through its export to desert nations, which now need water and prepare our defences against the forthcoming wars which would be fought amongst men, societies and nations over rights of water security and utility and not over dollars, which is a paper currency, which would depreciate, as eco-systems degenerate. We must ponder, reflect, analyze and accept that China is judiciously using the minerals and nature’s resources and it is also China alone, where we see its economy bouncing high and staying healthy. Indian rupee is sliding down because of our destructive, opportunistic and parasitic mind set which make our people greedy, lazy and exploitative. We abuse mother earth and we are slowly seeing our abuse bounce back to make Goans a society ridden in crimes be it suicides, murders and numerous acts of cheating and deceit. We have to wake up and mend our ways before Goa and Goans are found lost for eternity amidst curses of nature’s fury and gory. Joe D'Sousa Panjim