WHITHER DEVELOPMENT?

The Goa Bachao Abhiyan was formed to oppose a Regional Plan that went against the very laws of the land and in the name of development sought to adversely alter the environment of Goa. As an educator making presentations among the villages, I had to study the plan and realised that two disconcerting aspect of the so called development received very little mention in the plan. However, at the ground level, mining andSEZs were the greatest attacks on the constitutional rights of the people.

Basically, the issue is the debate over what is real“development”... that which is planned by a panel of“experts” and provides immediate benefits for a few...or that which rises from the needs of the people and looks at sustainable progress that benefits all...Development as a word encompasses a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development - the development of livelihoods and greater quality of life for humans. Hence its dimensions include governance, healthcare, education, gender equality, disaster preparedness, infrastructure, economics, human rights, environment and issues associated with these.

The human dimensions of development can be ignored only at the cost of negating the ideals as proclaimed in our constitution. Quite often, we fail to notice the growing social discontent going by the confrontations that build up against development that seeks to threaten the immediate future of people… To understand ground reality, we need to move out of our comfort zones and stand face to face with the truth.

A single day spent in a village affected by mining will fill our lungs with mud and clear our minds of our prejudice against those who complain against “development”... A visit to the furious pace of activity in an SEZ that is yet to be given final approval will convince us about the sheer illegalityof it all... it is an eye-opener to realise that the very Government, instead of fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities is facilitating the advancement of irregularities...

Development that severely incapacitates our democratic processes and violates basic human concerns cannot be termed as progress. In fact, nowadays most “development” is actually a mask for land grab with the authorities helping clear the title of that land. We must understand the various dimensions ofdevelopment that range from the genuine to the ingeniously devious... Only then we can “develop new dimensions” in facilitating the progress of our land and its people!

At the crossroads of progress, let’s examine the hidden intentions...
Without involving human concerns we cannot ‘develop new dimensions’...