Issues Of Biodiversity And Floating Tourist Population In Goa
Tall buildings, modernized industrial estates, concurrent services, neoteric equipment’s and devices, latest designs, stylish fabric, ultra-clean roads and environment, no deprivation of basic needs, no hardship are the things we look up to when we think of developed countries. We are ready to spend a king’s ransom to look at this beauty, why because it’s not in my country! The appealing environment captivates us so much that we literally want to spend money to visit the wild life sanctuary in South Africa, France for landscapes and food, UK for inventions, Japan for economic powerhouse, underwater life in Australia, mention any one and we have reason too, but the whole point is why not India? We proud Indians find difficult to accept that our country has everything but yet it lacks something.
“The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities is the bedrock of our enterprise for a sustainable world. ”-Shri. Narendra Modi (Prime Minister of India)
As a Prime Minister of 1/6th of the world’s population Shri Narendra Modi after taking responsibilities of our country, travelling and meeting powerful personalities around the world has realised that the concept of eradicating poverty, hunger, empowering women, fighting bad climate, etc. has to be differentiated and studied among the various states of India in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Being the smallest state of India, Goa to give importance to the SDG’s? How are these topics beneficial to us? Should this be our priority?
Well, Goa being a beautiful and fragile state is vulnerable in respect of its biodiversity and in terms of its floating tourist population. The state of Goa is in constant battle with the tourists who are looking forward for the time they are spending in Goa and citizens of the state who call themselves “susegad” as they are satisfied yet not happy how state is undergoing unnatural changes. Sustainable development comes here into picture as this meets the needs of the present, without compromising with the needs of the future generations to meet their own needs. With the population of 1. 459 million residents and with growth rate of 8. 23% per decade, the state of Goa is breaking down and has overburdened its resources and environment. It’s not always that the government that should be blamed for the menace but we the citizens should coordinate and develop strong will power to stay away from corruption and money and not to sell ourselves out for short term benefits. As it is said ‘It takes two to make a quarrel’.
We the Goan’s need to question ourselves whether we need majestic hotels on seashore, roads through our forests, pollution industries, concrete structures on fertile land, million tons of ores or the greenery and serenity that Goa is known for. The fault is being a tourist’s destination? No, we are privileged ones, but the fact that the state of Goa is trying to create room for 3 million tourists. All this when we have not planned for our own population. All zones of development are today disputing for the same land with flora and fauna that needs to be conserved. Our focus is on mining our Western Ghats which have unique species that need to be protected. With Illegal constructional licenses, release of sewage in water resources, construction permits in Coastal Regulatory Zones (CRZ) areas, deforestation, etc. Goa must therefore face up to the challenges that lie ahead in realizing the SDGs by 2030 because it cannot wish away old and newer areas of concern. More than 80% of Goa’s geographical land has been declared as eco-sensitive in the regional plan 2021. Mining has the biggest damaging impact as it involves cutting of hills and slopes to later expanding into pits. Pumping out of water has lowered the water table in the area, the dumps of rejected waste are often close to the rivers, and silt enters the fields and water bodies. As a tourist destination the state has triggered a frenzy of construction activities to cater needs of outsiders. The coastline is under threat and the generation of garbage and sewage has added to the misery. Sand extraction has ripped off the layers for breeding for fish in North Goa. Riverbanks along with coconut trees have collapsed. Landscapes at Western Ghats are alarming threat which we are aware of but yet neglecting because we are caught up in more and more of fast development that we don’t find any solution rather than digging of lands, trimming forest, dumping riverbanks with wastes.
The conservation of ecosystem is vital and by following certain methods like periodic desilting of river beds, installing water treatment plants with modern methods of water purifications, segregating the waste in dry and wet waste, identifying the plastic waste which can be recycled and processing it into product such that it is utilised again, using methods like vermiculture to convert organic waste into fertilizer. Construction of check dams and garland channels for waste water or sewage around wetlands. Making the citizen aware of the correlation of geology and hygiene through posters, news, etc. would contribute in good health and well-being.
