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Goa's latest tourist attraction: floods!

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panjim

Goa was planning to sell raindrops to tourists, but it has become difficult even for a Goan to move around in the tourist state these days due to a downpour and man-made problems resulting in flooding of most major towns.

The rainfall in the last 37 days is higher than the annual average, but it is being proved that the root cause of floods are all-powerful mining and construction lobbies and politicians, who authorised creation of the problems.

"Villages getting flooded following heavy rains is not new, but not cities. Constructions, which have come up everywhere, are the prime cause," Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha admitted while replying to a debate in the Assembly.

In fact, it was a tussle between various builders' lobbies that frequently kept changing governments since 1990 -- 11 in 10 years -- while every lobby got maximum agricultural land converted for housing, resulting in lack of space for storage of water.

"In Margao, around two lakh square metres of paddy fields have been filled up, causing the floods," said Power Minister Digambar Kamat, the legislator from Margao, the south Goa district town that has been flooded for three days.

In fact, the government has constructed buildings, a stadium and a bus-stand by filling up fields at Margao, with similar thoughtless moves in towns like Vasco and Ponda.

Panjim legislator Manohar Parrikar, while citing the reason for the capital city getting flooded within an hour of a downpour, pointed to clogged drains. Even Deputy Chief Minister Dayanand Narvekar has admitted that most drains are blocked by builders.

While all politicians ignored warnings by experts, Revenue Minister Mauvin Godinho has now asserted that no agricultural land can be converted following a high court ban.

While the coastal belt, which attracts over 12 lakh tourists every year has also become an unplanned concrete jungle, the hinterland has become a direct victim of four decades of mining activity, ruining the green belt.

The first heavy rains on June 11 played havoc in the interior talukas of Bicholim and Sattari, the cause of which was also heaps of mining rejects blocking the flow of water and mining silt that has narrowed the depths of rivers.

The mining lobby, which has traditionally controlled governments, is cool on the issue, despite some villagers stoning their offices.

The chief minister has now announced that he is awaiting central aid to desilt the Valvanti river in the mining belt.

Narvekar told the National Water Council meeting in Delhi on July7 that Goa has forwarded proposals for flood control measures and protection of the coastline.

Till then, floods could be yet another attraction for tourists, while locals will have no alternative but to rebuild their houses every season, after they collapse or get washed away.

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