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.