There is news today that New Delhi has sanctioned 100 more mines in Goa – and the port authorities say that the waterways may not be able to handle that much more traffic. Yes, the rivers are chock-a-block full of iron ore barges, where there should be pretty sailing boats, ferries and steamers, and other country craft for the tourists. Goa’s backwaters are now out-of-bounds for tourists; they have been taken over by iron ore barges. Ugly!
The situation is not much better in Karwar and Mangalore, both deep water ports, where the iron ore is delivered by trucks – and these trucks have damaged the roads extensively.
Now, these new mines in Goa have been sanctioned by the Delhi-based central ministry of forests and environment.
The foreign trade policy has been enforced by the Delhi-based ministry of commerce – and the guns of the customs department are paid for by Delhi.
What do Goa, Karwar or Mangalore get – in terms of economic benefits – from these “policy” diktats of New Delhi?
I would answer: Nothing. Rather, they lose. Lose heavily.
Consider the National Highway 17, the lifeline of the Konkan, that connects Bombay to Cochin and passes through Goa, Karwar and Mangalore. It is probably the worst highway in the world. Throughout Goa, at least, it is just an urban thoroughfare. And New Delhi has no plans of providing the area with the kind of highway a coastline dotted with deep water ports needs. The famous “Golden Quadrilateral” bypasses the Konkan Coast entirely.
Not only foreign trade, even the domestic trade policies of New Delhi are working against the interests of Goans – for example, feni is not allowed for sale anywhere in India.
Why do Goans pay taxes to New Delhi?
Why do Goans accept policy diktats from New Delhi?
Why does the Konkan Coast, which should be prime real estate, accept the tyrannical and nonsensical Coastal Zone Regulation Act that prohibits all building on the coast – for “environmental reasons.” Note that the mines are being sanctioned by the same “environment ministry.” There is a huge iron ore mine within the Kudremukh National Park!
Because of this nasty piece of legislation, traditional fisherfolk have no property rights to their beachside properties – which are worth zillions today. This, for the sake of the mythical "environment." Oh! How I HATE environmentalists.
All this calls for a re-think of the relationship between New Delhi and the various States of the Union. The new relationship must be based on “subsidiarity” – and you can find many posts under this label beginning with this one.
Let New Delhi look after defence and foreign affairs only. And let each region think for itself on all other issues, without any central interference whatsoever.
Mining LOW GRADE iron ore in Goa is stupid. The entire state should be prime real estate, a playground for holidaymakers. I read a recent report that some pretty hill somewhere in the hinterland was being flattened out for export. Methinks a snazzy hotel or casino would look fine atop this hill. Let’s build real estate on the Western Ghats. Let’s not export the hills. If you visit the Kudremukh National Park you will see that entire hillsides, dozens of them, have been exported. What nonsense!
How can a revolution happen? First comes awareness, which is what this blog aims at. Then comes a political campaign – a new freedom struggle. In the latest Budget, New Delhi gave Goa 200 crore rupees to celebrate its “liberation” from the Portuguese. Goans should now see that all this liberation entailed is slavery to New Delhi. This slavery must end.
For inspiration, read the chapter on the Magna Carta in my e-book Natural Order: Essays Exploring Civil Government & the Rule of Law available here (and on the right hand bar).
Then, the people of England obtained their Liberties from their monarch’s oppressive rule. One of the clauses said that the City of London and all other borough were to have the “freedom to trade by land and sea.”
Let this be the new battle cry of the Konkani:
Freedom To Trade By Land And Sea.
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