Goa since 1967, through the eyes of a Goan

“The unplanned development that Goa has seen has destroyed the purpose of winning the Opinion Poll way back in the ‘60s,” opines Antonio Piedade Morais, a retired Goa Civil Service officer and staunch lover and supporter of Konkani. Morais is well known for the decades of passionate work for his mother tongue ‘Konkani’. For more than 50 years, he has campaigned for Konkani, built a library of over 11,000 books and in 2005 established ‘Goenkaranchem Daiz’, an institution to preserve Goan identity and culture. The library includes Fr Thomas Stephen’s ‘Arte de Lingoa Canarim’, the first known printed book of Konkani Grammar.

During the period of the Opinion Poll, Morais was 32 and served at the Directorate of Civil Administration on deputation in Panjim Municipality, when late Tony D’Souza was the pillar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP). “I was convincing the outsiders as well as Goans that if the merger takes place, then the non-Goans, who were mostly from Karnataka, would lose their jobs and we Goans would lose our Goan identity, which is Konkani,” he reveals.

The objective of the Opinion Poll was the preservation of the Goan identity, namely Konkani language and culture, Morais states. “Today,” he says, “even though the service of the non-Goans is needed for the Goan community, which is on the decline for several reasons, after the Opinion Poll, we are observing that migration has increased tremendously, which indirectly contributes to the change of Goan demography. And this is affecting the Goan culture and identity of the Goans, which was the objective of the Opinion Poll.”

He continues, “Undoubtedly, the cause of migration by Goans has been in order to seek greener pastures and earn a good salary to support their families financially. Today, it is difficult to secure a decent job in Goa as government jobs are on sale or they are provided to the slaves of the politicians,” he remarks firmly.

Focusing on the planned and unplanned developmental works in Goa, Morais feels that the unplanned development overweighs the planned one, thus destroying the purpose of winning the Opinion Poll.

Elaborating further, he says, “Planned development includes

the areas of education, health, transport and power. Education has increased and it has definitely benefitted those residing in the state. Health benefits too have reached the rural people and it is progressing in the remotest of villages. Though compared to other states, the health benefits need to increase and help the common man.”

With regard to transport and roads, Morais says that the muddy, stony and bumpy roads have been tarred and transportation has been made easier for the rural people. “Likewise, apart from few rural areas, power has reached many villages and the facility has been extended.”

But the biggest setback for Goans, according to Morais, has come about through unplanned development. The major unplanned developmental works, he says, include the Dabolim and Mopa airports, besides the national highways.

“The Dabolim airport is centrally located and is easily accessible from the north as well as the south of Goa,” Morais explains. “But a good chunk of land is owned by the Navy today. If it was utilised for expansion, it would benefit the inhabitants of North and South Goa.”

According to Morais, the construction of Mopa airport is a source of corruption for the politicians. “It was not at all required. With its under-construction work, around 50,000 sq metres, 43 natural springs, livelihood of people of Goan origin as well as their houses have been affected. In this regard, I would like to question the readers whether this fact is really ‘Goy, Goykar, Goykarponn’?”

“A look at the construction of national highways makes a wild revelation that its construction in the name of development has only led to the tenants losing their precious cultivable acreage by way of acquisition of land. Indirectly, it is for the benefit of the Mopa airport,” he opines.

“Industries have come up and are mushrooming in Goa to the maximum extent possible,” says Morais, “but with their growth, the Goans are suffering due to industrial pollution. The industries are required to some extent, by the government has failed to take necessary steps to control pollution.”

“Agriculture is also on a decline, as the farmers have given up agriculture on their land due to non-feasibility. And consequently we are forced to import agricultural products like rice and vegetables from neighbouring states, thus leaving us totally dependent on them,” he says.

Morais reveals that the aim of the Opinion Poll was to safeguard and preserve Konkani language and culture for future generations. But viewing Goa 50 years ahead, 83-year-old Morais foresees and fears that Goa will not remain for the ‘niz’ Goykar in the future and it would result in the loss of the Goan identity, namely the Konkani language and culture. “There is the need for change in the government, both in the state and centre and the reins should be handed over to the youth, with backing and support from the seniors and the elderly. They could be guided by the senior politicians,” he concludes.