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**** http://www.GOANET.org ****
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NEW BOOK: 'PATRIOTISM IN ACTION: Goans in Indias Defence Services'
With Foreword by Gen SF Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM, ADC (retd)
former Chief of Indian Army Staff
and Governor, Punjab & Administrator, Chandigarh UT
Copies now available at:
GOA: Literati (2277740), Other India (2263306), Broadway (6647038),
Mandovi (2427904), Noel DSilva & Associates (9823120454 / 9096781714),
Confidant / Golden Heart Emp (2732450), David & Co (2730326), Vardaan
(9527463684)
SERV / RETD Def Offrs in Goa: O/o Sainik Co-op Hse Bldg Sty, Def Col, Porvorim
(2417288)
MUMBAI: David & Co (22019010)
PUNE: Manneys (26131683), Popular (25678327)
BENGALURU: Narayan (22865800)
DELHI: Ritana (24617278)
ONLINE (worldwide delivery): http://www.ritanabooks.com,
http://goa1556.goa-india.org
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To Goanet -
We can roughly divide Goa's decline into 3 decades. I am here
not interested in the political or root causes and all the controversy that
entails (some of which I touched upon in a post some weeks ago, "Goa's
3 deadly sins" or some such). These are observations.
1980-1990: when the tourism policy was established. The concrete
drib of Alcon and Kamat Constructions picked up pace, but it was still
low key by current standards. Kashmir crisis meant lots of uncouth Northies
discovered Goa for the first time, the worst thing to happen to the place.
But wanting to own a piece of Goa was still a while away.
1990-2000: Ravi Naik figured out how to go 'global' with conversion of
agricultural land. Bardez coast became concretized. Pratapsing and
his spawn Vishwajeet begin hacking away at Goa's foundations.
Construction picked up pace, and Goans pioneered 'bypass' technology -
that is, every village had its own 'bypass' road even if it cut through
the heart of town.
2000-2010: This was the watershed decade. New-found wealth among
Indians, and their realization that here was this still-beautiful place they
could go and defecate on. Manohar began the slide by waving the rag
to the Indian bull with IFFI. After that the ghatis did the rest.
PS: Let us dispose of this red herring that keeps popping up on Goanet
with regularity. Nobody sensible has said that migrants are the cause
of ALL of Goa's problems. I say, migrants are A cause, and they have
been a major problem, not the ONLY problem. Unlike Indians, I am
quite comfortable at taking responsibility and pinning the credit for
Goa's destruction primarily on Goans.
But the recent migrants (with few exceptions, needless to say) especially
are like leeches. They fled the toilets their own towns have become to
create a new toilet out of Goa. They have taken more out of Goa than
they have put in. Given Goa's size and limited resources we cannot
have the whole (or even a fraction) of India wanting to park their behinds
here and still expect the pleasant life. It is undeniable that having more
Indians coming into Goa has COARSENED the overall climate. 'Nuf said.
Regards,
r
