ARE WE LIBERATED?

 

The people of amchem Goem are all set to celebrate the 57th year of liberation from colonial rule. A large number of freedom fighters fought the Portuguese and even sacrificed their lives to free us from slavery, to ensure that our generation and the generations to come would be freed from bondage of foreign rule. 

After 57 years of governance by our own rulers, are we free? Do we feel secure in our own land? Are we safe from the three main elements of life, viz. Air, Water and Food? The Air that we breathe is highly polluted, the water that we drink is contaminated, in some places we don’t even get drinking water for days, the food that we consume is laced with formalin, vegetables are coated with fertilizers, fruits are forced ripened with carcinogenic chemicals. Is this the freedom for which our forefathers shed their blood?

The Good Lord has abundantly blessed our mannkule and apurbaieche Goem, with lush green fields, lively mountains, orchards, rivers, etc. We have been self sufficient for centuries. Our ancestors have preserved and nurtured our beautiful land since time immemorial. 

The whole of Bardez taluka and parts of Bicholim taluka are dependent on the fresh water from the Assonora fresh water river. The government has now cleared a 200 room resort by M/s Mahindra & Mahindra company, just 77 metres upstream of the river. The company has declared that the resort will generate 225 MLD of sewage/waste water. That turns out to be 2 lakhs 25 thousand litres of sewage per day. Naturally this waste water will trickle down, rather, gush down into the Assonora Fresh water river and pollute it. Our fresh water source that our ancestors nurtured since centuries will be lost forever. I sthis development? Is this the fruit of liberation? 

Our Goa has been known for its natural beauty all across the world since decades and has been the most preferred tourist destination. But alas, it has come to light that a Draft Tourism Master Plan for ‘High Spending Tourist’ in its draft form has been conceived to change the face of our beautiful state, to give a new direction to tourism in our land of our ancestors. A Plan that is definitely going to turn our beautiful Goa into a SIN CITY.

As far as our youth are concerned, is there a well thought out labour policy that will ensure a bright and secure future for our children? A labour policy that will stop the migration of our youth and families, especially from the catholic faith, from leaving the land of their ancestors in  search of bread and butter? Will our youth get jobs and be able to stand on their own feet? Things have surely gone wrong. A very bleak future awaits our youth. 

In view of so many problems plaguing our beautiful but fragile state of Goa, Goencho Avaaz, a non political organisation is planning a social awareness program titled THE SECOND LIBERATION OF GOA at the Taxi Stand, Mapuca on 19 Dec 2018, at 3.30 pm, the solemn day of our liberation in 1961.  The aim is to give a call to preserve our environment for future generations, to ensure hygienic and safe food, a call to protect our fields, orchards, mountains, rivers, beaches; a second liberation to free us from the mother of all evils, viz. CORRUPTION. A second liberation from gambling, drugs, rapes, prostitution, molestation, murders, etc. A second liberation for a bright and secure future for our youth by providing employment. Lets REBOOT and save amche Goen.