Destruction of mand destroyed Dhalo ustav in Quepem

By John Fernandes

Comes the month of October or for that matter once the harvest season is over in villages of Quepem and Sanguem talukas particularly dominated by the Christian Gawda Tribe , during night time one would hear the sweet sound of Dhalo Songs being played by the Christian Tribal women folk on their traditional Mand

Now this has been a past History as since last 15 years due to the rampant criticism made by the religious priest on the “Mand” which was one of the center place for performing different cultural folk dances/activities of the Gawda Tribe, resulted in destruction of the Mand, which intern resulted in wiping out the different folk dances, folk songs, such as Dhalo, which was one of the important cultural festival of the Christian Gawda Tribal women. This also resulted in wiping out the identity of the Christian Gawdas.

In village Ambaulim/Deao of Quepem taluka which are part of Ambaulim Church is consist of 10 small wards inhabitated mostly by Christian Gawdas. In some wards the population of Christian Gawda is 100% while in remaining wards the Gawda Population is 95%. Each wards was having its Mand which was the center place for performing all the cultural activities/dances such as Dhalo, Intruz etc.

Once the harvest season is over preferably in the month of October the Gawda women folk of each ward used to play Dhalo on their traditional Mand particularly during night time. In ward Copelabhat once the harvest of Nagagal peddy field is done the women folk of that ward use to play dhalo on their Mand. The Dhalo festival was performed by the Gawda Tribal women to glorify/pray the almighty or the nature for the harvest.

The Dhalos festival on the Mand was performed in odd days. On the first day of Dhalo that is on the day of commencement the wife of the ward Budwant (head of the village) use to light the Lamp which was kept in the middle of the Mand and lighted every night till the Dhalo Festival is over , followed by busting of crackers. The tribal women then use to gather on the Mand to play Dhalo. They used to stand in two different line holding each one hands and then sing different traditional songs in sweet voice on the rithm of their leg. If one minutely verifys the song each song is having a past history and conveys a message to the villager. In the Dhalo Songs there is even reference of different trees/shrubs having medicinal importance.

The different folk dances which were performed by the Tribal women during Dhalo Festival include Dhalo, Fugdi, Palom, Moraile etc. The village youth who use to gather to see the Dhalo use play “Kolimandani” in one corner of the mand.

The Dhalo Festival use to go that either 3 days, 5 days, 7 days or 9 days. On the last day of the Dhalo large number of villagers including male member from that ward use to gather on the mand to participate in the closing ceremony which was referred as “Mand Nivovop”. Every member who comes on the mand used to bring paddy from their house. The paddy brought by the villagers were collected and then sold to the shopkeeper from the ward and in return sweets and puff rice (chirmuleo) were purchased which were distributed among all those present. In this way the Dhalo festival of Gawda Tribals comes to an end.

However since last 15 years due to the rampant criticism made by the religious priest to the Mand calling it as a devil place and the cultural activities performed over their by the Tribals that to without studying its concept or without studying its importance for preserving the cultural importance of the Tribals resulted in destruction of the Mand along with it, it destroyed the reach cultural heritage such as Dhalo and the typical identity of the Christian Gawdas particularly from Quepem and Sanguem Talukas.

What mining is doing in Goa’s tribal areas: Police and Public Health

This paper accounts for some indicators of change in tribal habitation villages of Goa with special focus on Colamb in Rivona Panchayat jurisdiction in Sanguem taluka. The paper is a product of joint efforts of Durgadas Gaonkar, Dr. Avadoot Prabhudesai, Advocate John Fernandes, Rama Velip and Sebastian Rodigues on the occasion of visit of Western Ghats Expert panel members to Goa for a meeting on 27^th September 2010.

The revenue village of Colamb in Sanguem has a population of 2594 people as per 2001 census. 1514 of these belong to Scheduled Tribes communities of Gawda and Velips. The village has a total land of 1929 hectares. The village also has 23 mining leases/concessions granted by Portuguese colonial state before 1961 Goa liberation and are yet to be cancelled by free Indian State. These mining leases cover 1510 hectares of village land. People are dependent upon agriculture and forest for their livelihood. The education level of people here is relatively low. This village is a part of catchment area of Selaulim water dam that supplies water to over 50% of Goa. Nearly 5 mines (efforts are on to start several more) are in operation in the village thereby causing tremendous risk to the villagers life and life support systems. Villagers rose in mass revolt in 2007 and since then continued their agitation pushing the issue of mining in the mainstream political consciousness of Goa. Villagers have been booked under various criminal cases chiefly by the Fomento mining company that operates Hiralal Khodidas mining lease. Various villagers have been affected with negative health effects and hostile socio-economic fallouts.

Quepem taluka has a tribal population of 25,396 people while Sanguem taluka has a tribal population of 15,602 people. Most of whom are either wage employed or self-employed in agriculture as per the Survey report on Scheduled Tribes of Goa (Gawda, Kunbi, Velip) published by department of Social welfare in February 2004. Both these talukas are the targets of predatory mining industry and tribal people have their survival at stake. Colomba village falls in Sanguem taluka but shares border with Quepem taluka.

The legal entanglements

The villagers are target of Fomentos corporate strategy of filing criminal cases against anyone who is involved in protests. Although this is evident all over Goa this paper is restricted in its scope only to Colomba. The company has so far filed 69 criminal cases at Quepem Police station. In all these cases charge-sheets are filed and court cases going on before JMFC Sanguem.

In addition to this Fomentos has also filed civil case no. 23/08 before civil judge, Senior Dvision, Quepem by the legal heirs of Hiralal Khodidas mine Uday Gosalia against 80 people from Colomba. This mine is operated by Fomentos. The corporate hold over the Judiciary can be gazed from the fact that Ex-parte order was granted by Quepem Court against the villagers – without hearing the side of the villagers. Gosalia subsequently has filed two contempt petition against Colomba villagers for violating Court injunction.

The list of criminal cases includes as follows:

1. Case Cr. 43/s/2010 against seven people under section 143, 341, 506, r/w 149 IPC for the offence: restraining of trucks into Hiralal Khodidas Mine and further threatening staff and security personnel of the complainant. Complainant is Chandrakant Patil, Mines Manager of Hiralal Khodidas mine. The seven people in this case includes Egypt D’souza, Rama Velip, Motesh Antao, Dumena D’Souza, Tulsidas Velip – whose house has developed cracks due do blasting by Fometos, Babani Amolkar, and Chandrakala Gaonkar. The complaint filed on 28/11/2008.

2. Case Cr. 15/s/2009 before JMFC Sanguem against Tedoz Antao under sections 341, 323, 427, 506 (II) of IPC. The offence: Wrongful restraining of complainant, assault with fist blows, damage to spectacles. The complainant here is Yeswant Salunke, Security officer, Hiralal Khodidas. He filed this complaint on 14/11/2008 and date of offence allegedly committed is 13/11/2008.

3. Case Cr. 71/s/2008 before JMFC, Sanguem against 7 people under sections 143, 147, 447, 341, 606 (II), 427, 504, r/w 149 IPC. The seven people here includes Egypt D’Souza, Telu Dias, Rama Velip, Motesh Antao, Dumiana D’Souza, Shanta Velip, and Xavier Fernandes. The complainant Surya Naik has given his description on police records as ‘agent of Fomento’. The nature of offence: House and car was damaged by the accused on 13/11/2008. So far ten hearings of this case took place and Inspecting Offfcer (I/O) Arvind Nagekar has remained absent in all instances. As a result judicial process has got stuck and people has to repeatedly make trips to the courts in futility. The ten instances when this case came up for hearing includes 1/12/09, 30/12/09, 12/1/10, 15/2/10, 23/3/10, 26/4/10, 6/7/10, 31/7/10, 21/8/10, and 18/9/10.

4. Case Cr. 70/s/2008 before JMFC, Sanguem against 22 people under section 143, 147, 148, 341, 352, 447, 504, 506 (II) r/w 149 IPC. The 22 people includes Egypt D’souza, Rama Velip, Ruzario Antao, Simao Antao, Chandrakant Gaonkar, Tulsidas Velip, Sulaksha Gaonkar, Tedoz Antao, Vithoba Gaonkar, Vincent Dias, Motesh Antao, Manuel Dias, Dumen D’suza, Purso Gaonkar, Telu Dias, Salvador Dias, Rajnikant Velip, Jason Sequira, Sebastiao D’souza, Natividade Fernandes, Shanta Velip and Palmira Dias. The date of offence is 21/1/2008. The nature of offence is Unlawful Assembly, Armed with dandas, trespass into mining premises, wrongfully restraining complainant, abused him and other mine staff and further came to assault and threaten with dire consequences. The complainant here is Atul Bokade, Mines Manager, Hiralal Khodidas Mines.

5. Case Cr. 1/s/2009 against 17 people under section 143, 147, 447, 341, 506 (II), 427, 504 r/w 149 IPC. The 17 people includes Utabai Velip, Surya Gaonkar, Telu Dias, Egypt D’souza, Kalavati Velip, Vincent Dias, Dumena D’souza, Chandrakant Gaonkar, Premdas Velip, Alexo Dias, Agnelo D’souza, Caitan Barreto, Baby Dias, Bhagirathi Velip, Shanta Velip, Gouca Antao, and Kalidas Naik Gaonkar. Date of offence is 30/12/2008. Nature of offence: Unlawful assembly, trespass into mine premises, wrongful restrained mine workers, abused them with filthy words, threatened them with dire consequences. The complainant here is again Atul Bokade, Mines Manager, Hiralal Khodidas Mines.

6. Case cr. 72/s/2008 against 15 people under section 143, 341, r/w 149 IPC. The 15 people includes Arjun Velip, Tulsidas Velip, Rama Velip, Motesh Antao, Egyp D’Souza, Telu Dias, Vincent Dias, Rajanikant Velip, Salvador Fernandes, Kalidas Velip, Arjun Velip, Kalidas Desai, Puso Gaonkar, Franky Antao, and Arjun L. Velip. Date of offence is 8/10/2007. Nature of offence: Formed unlawful assembly, blocked road, stopped the staff of Hiralal Khodidas mine from entering mine premises. The complainant is again Atul Bokade, Mines Manager, Hiralal Khodidas Mines. Only this case has been closed after being discharged by the court.

All the above cited cases reflect increasing tension in the village created due to mining activities. People’s activities are disrupted due to mining-police nexus. This nexus becomes evident when one examines the record the police in pursuing the cases filed by mining companies’ vis-à-vis cases filed by people against mining companies. Police has 100% follow up to charge-sheet level when it is mining companies are complainants. Police has got 0% record of pursuing the case file by people of Colomba against mining company. People of Colamba has filed number of cases and police are yet to file a single charge-sheet. The villagers complaints can be listed below as follows:

1. On 19/11/2007 villagers of Colomba, Kevona filed a complaint before Quepem police station against Rajesh Zambaulekar and Rupesh Zambaulekar – the mining agents of Timblos and Fomento mine. The nature of offence: Egypt D’Souza was obstructed, pelted stones on his vehicle, threatened and physical manhandling while proceeding from Tilamol to Colomba. Police did not take any cognizance.

2. On 13/6/2008 Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED) filed complaint against manger of Hiralal Khodidas mines for releasing water in Paddy fields. Police took no action.

3. On 19/11/2008 Farmers of Colomba filed complaint against Romaldo Rebello, Bostiao Simoes, Mahadev Devidas, Dinu Devidas, Anton, Arun Naik, Ramnath Velip, Kushali Velip, Dyaneshwar Naik, Suryakant Naik, and Dilip Devidas. Nature of complaint: Manhandling and beating. Complainant is Rama Velip. Police took no action.

4. On 10/11/2008 Rama Velip filed complaint against Hiralal Khodidas Mine at Quepem Police station for destroying Paddy field coconut garden, water bodies, releasing muddy water in Kushawati River. Police took no action.

5. On 26/11/2008 villagers of Colomba filed complaint at Quepem Police station complaining of transportations of iron ore through forest area in violation of High court order. Complaint was signed by Motesh Antao, Fr. Mathias D’Cunha and Rama Velip. Police too no action.

6. On 5/12/2008 United farmers of Colomba filed complaint at Quepem police station regarding illegal operation of mine by Hiralal Khodidas. Complaint signed by Motesh Antao. Police took no action.

7. On 14/1/2010 Dumena D’souza filed complain at Quepem Police station against mines managers of nine mines operating in Quepem and Sanguem talukas for overloading, endangering public health, polluting air, and causing danger to public life. The case was file under section 268, 269, 270, 278 of IPC, section 133 of Cr.PC, Section 40 of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) 1981 and under section 2(22) and 37 of Goa Public Health Act 1985. The nine mines which are mentioned in this complaint includes: V.S. Dempo T.C. no. 7/50 operation in Rivona, V.S. Dempo T.C. no. 3/51 operating in Curpem, Badruddin Mavany T.c. no. 14/52 operating in Colomba, Vangi Bindi Advona iron ore mine T.c. no. 10/51 operating in Sulcorna and owned by M/s Haidar Kasim Khan, Gogoro Ou Gulcon dongor Iron Ore mine T.c. no. 06/49 operating in Colomba and owned by Hiralal khodidas, Polo Dongor Iron Ore mIne T.C. no. 65/51 operating in curpem owned by G.F. Figueiredo, Gotifonda Tembo Colomab Iron ore mine T.C no. 75/52 owned by Vaicunt Cadnekar, Unonatlo dongor Iron ore mine T.C. no. 17/49 operating in Colomba and owned by Pai Palondikar, and Chunimol Dongor Iron ore mine T.C. no. 28/52 operating at Xivsorem, Rivona. Police took no action.

Police has been biased against people in processing of the cases. Goa government’s police policy towards mining in tribal areas is reflected from this fact. The bias of police in favor of mining industry and against people is clearly visible. The fall out of this situation is indeed very drastic loss of citizens’ confidence in the police force. However since local people are against mining industry for various reasons police force is used by mining industry to protect itself. It is best that in the public interest mining industry be closed down in Goa.

Agriculture suffers

Agriculture was practiced by everyone in the village of Colomba before mining began. Due to rampant mining activities paddy fields of Colomba has suffered drastic reduction of paddy yield. Dument D’Souza who owns a piece of agricultural land that her family cultivates used to harvest 2000 kg of rice before Fomentos started operation of Hiralal Khodidas mine. This has dropped to 900 kg of rice yield after mining company regularly releases mining silt into paddy fields. Coconut plantations too have suffered reduction in yield due to mining activities. The problem of mining to agriculture is also due to release of water from mining pit mixed with lime soda into paddy fields. Additionally the paddy fields nearby suffer due to sodium vapor light in the night focusing into paddy fields.

Response of the mining company managers with regard to discharge of mining silt into the paddy fields is to tell the villagers to remove and company will pay the cost. Villagers however refuse to accept money from mining company.

Agriculture is also threatened due to mining below ground water and drying up of water bodies in Colamba. This is particularly true in case of Badruddin Mavany mine operated by Radha Timblo. Large number of vegetables that used to be cultivated in the Muscavrem, Colomba has found sudden stop after the mining began. Land has been taken over for mining purpose, Kushavati river polluted, and village water bodies such as natural springs and wells dried up. This is fast becoming a reality in number of other areas of Colomba and surrounding villages with number of mining companies beginning their operations.

The situation can be reverted only with closing down mines and cancelling all the mining leases in this and surrounding villages.

Public Health Hazards due to mining

Number of public health hazards has come about due to beginning of mining activities in Colomba and neighboring villages. Dust pollution, noise pollution and heavy vehicular traffic have posed life threatening danger to the villagers. Besides, the entry of large number of migrant workers from various parts of India has caused socio-economic-medical phenomena of spread of HIV infection in mining belt. Alcoholism has increased with increase in mining activities.

Mining of Ferrous and Manganese in these localities has led to the release of impurities in air. The impurities includes silica, magnesium and many more. Inhaling of air polluted with these impurities causes numoconiosis that is also known as ‘dust-in-a-lung’ phenomena. In Colomba the movement of trucks is in the middle of the village. The road used by trucks is also used by school children, women to fetch water, to wash clothes etc. The road that can comfortable take around 50 truck trips per day is burdened with nearly 5000 truck trips filled with ore. Number of people in Colomba and neighboring villages has contacted lung diseases such as tuberculosis after mining activities began here nearly seven years ago. For children below 3 years respiratory problem is acute. 90 percent of people in mining belt suffer from one or other type of respiratory disease. Gattier, Rivona is one locality that has witnessed mass scale contraction of tuberculosis to its residents directly due to mine in the vicinity.

Asthma is another respiratory disease that is very common in mining belt. Besides mining dust lung diseases particularly to children are also caused by accasia trees planted by Forest department. The yellow pollen of these trees causes asthma and skin rash. These trees are danger to nature and must be down and new variety of fruit tree must be planted in their place.

Noise pollution due to movement of trucks leads to permanent disability including total deafness, increase in blood pressure, heart attacks etc.

Communicable diseases like Chicken Gunia, Malaria, Hepatitis and HIV infections have increased in Colomba after mining activities began. The cause can be linked to the increased influx of labour from various parts of India and even Nepal. HIV infection is spread with single men from various parts of India and Nepal taking employment in mines and developing unprotected sexual relationships with local girls.

Accidents due to mining transportation of ore are of three types. First one is caused by direct hitting of person by mining trucks. This happens as each truck is in competition with other to maximize its trips. Pedestrians and other vehicle owners are placed at lethal risk by the movement of trucks. Several accidents are caused this way and many people have died. Only few cases are recorded by police and large of cases are ended by the private force of mining companies by forced compromises or intimidation. A force parallel to police is developing in mining belt that handles besides accident cases, the intimidation of those opposing mining industry. Perhaps these are seeds of mafia in Goa’s mining belt sown by mining industry.

The second variety of mining transport accidents takes place when motorcyclists skid off the road due to spillage of ore on the road from the rooftops of overloaded trucks. In spite roads is filled with spilled ore from truck carrying ore from the mines.

The third variety of accidents takes place when ore from the speeding trucks flies out and hits pedestrians. This has caused injuries to people walking on the road, sometime even to motorcyclists trying to overtake speeding trucks. It is not uncommon to hear of instances when the ore flew out of the truck and hit someone’s head or someone’s eye.

Mining trucks has no controlling authority. Drivers are drunk and drive heavily overloaded trucks. No one checks the license of truck drivers. No one checks truck fitness. Goa Police is mauled by mining industry due to Coporate-Politician-Police nexus in place.

Mining also has drastic indirect effects of Public Health. Number of people taking to alcohol has increased. There is also the rise in liquor outlets in Rivona Panchayat jurisdiction. Few of these are licensed outlets. Large number of them operates without license. More importantly the liquor that is sold in these outlets is adulterated – very often mixed with urea and distilled.

Women in mining belt suffer from anxiety, sleeplessness, and stressful mind due to uncertain situation created by mining industry. Many families are headed by widowed women as their husbands have died due to their employment on mines. Employment on mines gave excess money which they invested in alcohol. This led to the degeneration of their health and ultimately their death. In Curpem and Vichundrem villages large number of men worked on mines and died within few years of their employment. Workers on mines develop renal problem due to exposure to extreme heat and dust. Workers on mines do not get proper water, proper health education, proper masks for nose, proper ear masks. These are given only during mines safely day for one day and then taken back. Doctors with companies are insensitive towards workers. Drivers in mines have no control over themselves when they drive after consuming alcohol. No one checks their physical fitness when they drive in intoxicated state. This behavior of drivers in mining is not an exception but a rule.

Direct effects of mining on water

Silt from mines is released directly into paddy fields of the people. This creates chocking of its traditional water ways and created frequent flooding in monsoon. This is observable in case of Hiralal Khodidas mine in Colomba.

Washing of trucks in fresh water bodies releases silt and other pollutants into water. The water used for irrigation purposes then pollutes land where this water is used. Kushawati river is a very good example as to how mining has created water crisis. Mining in its catchment areas led to drying of kushawati river few years ago. State government instead of shutting down mines constructed check dams at number of places on the river. Check dams created stagnation of water and put pressure of the edges of the river. The big trees on both sides of the river bank died as their roots got affected with blocking of river flow in artificial manner. Besides Kushawati river water is polluted by mining silt. The fish that used to be available for the villagers prior to damming of this river has dramatically reduced and some varieties disappeared all together. The Kushawati river bed has silted and turned shallow.

In Corla village natural springs has gone dry after as the mining led to alteration in the course of ground water. Over 100 tribal people live in this village on hill top.

Blasting in mines

Till few years ago blasting was regular practice in mines in spite of it being legally banned. In Colamb blasting at Hirala khodidas mine by Fomentos has caused cracks to the house of Devki Katu Velip. Workers who indulge in drilling for blasting suffer from blasting renauts phenomena that results in hand gangrene.

Renal Stone for workers working in mining belt is common phenomena. Dust particles accumulated inside the ear consolidate and transform itself into a stone of a respective mineral.

Conclusion

Mining has created all round degeneration of nature and quality of life of tribal people. Even employment on mines has led to number of people in mining belt. Mining is dangerous and its danger will not reduce with 26% of share of income from mines to tribal people as envisaged by government of India. This is only move to distract attention from the gross violation of rights and insult to the dignity of tribal people that cannot be purchased with money. The private ownership of mines gave full scale scope for the usury of the mineral wealth by few individual corporate entities. Mining industry in Goa has hijacked all round welfare and democracy in Goa. Damage to public health, degeneration of agriculture, depletion of ground water, use of police, abuse of judiciary to intimidate village people protesting mining industry are only manifestations of this phenomena. It is hoped that Western Ghats authority will take cognizance of this situation and recommend to the government of India to stop mining in Goa and cancel all the mining leases in the Tribal areas that find common ground in defense of Western Ghats.

‘Devchar’ and its varied notions

‘Devchar’ a word that has been with me like most of us in Goa right from our childhood. However its notions differs depending upon the family in which the upbringings are effected.

I have grown in Catholic home and notion of ‘Devchar stood for all that is bad, evil force that must be feared. I was told this at home so often. Then in the church sermons I heard the same notions being repeated infinite number of times. Church in Goa wrongly equated ‘Devchar’ to European theological ‘devil’. By the time I grew up and just about entered my thirties, something extraordinary happened to my life: notion of ‘Devchar’ turned upside down!

Suddenly I was confronted with completely opposite notion of ‘Devchar’ – as protector of the communities, especially tribal communities of Gawadas and Velips. It was long conversations with Durgadas Gaonkar, then (2004) an activist of Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED) that compelled me to recognize ‘Devchar’ as well as tribal communities of Goa.

Gaonkar told me that ‘Devchar’ is a deity of his tribe it is their community’s protector, in the event of emergency it this spirit that they call for in supreme faith. And spirit never fails to rescue the community. It has been the protector of the community for thousands of years. Tribes share a relationship of dialogue with the spirit and not the relationship of obedience that is characteristics of many organised religions with professional clergy in place.

I have been unlearning notions of ‘Devchar’ for nearly half a decade now; continuously learning something fascinating from Tribal communities in Goa. One of insights that I have gained is that by equating ‘Devchar’ to European theological ‘Devil’ may be either mistake of the translator of the theological texts into Konkni or it may be deliberate attempt to suppress tribal identity in Goa. To me latter seems more of possibility as Church - like other organised religions - also been involved in paganizing and suppressing tribal traditions and culture. The latest instance has been to denounce the tribal cultural practices such as Jagor and Intruzz.

In early 2008 Ambaulim village in Quepem taluka reclaimed their cultural space and organised Intruzz after it was closed down by one Catholic priest posted in Ambaulim parish 15 years ago. Similarly Church like many tribal villages in Goa is instrumental in physically closing down of the institution of Mand. Ambaulim’s mand space have been faced with similar fate and cross has been erected.

The examples to cite are so many more. All of them however point out towards only one conclusion: it is the proselytizing arrogance of the Catholic Church in Goa that has robbed adivasi communities of their identity as tribes. It has led to severe modifications in their cultural practices and spiritually destabilized communities. Tribal spirits are the least understood entities and most misunderstood entities. Arrogance of the Catholic Church and all other hindu religious sects such as various Swamis attached with various Mutts in the country, number of organised sects attached to various denominations of Sanatan Sanstha has completely failed to understand the logic of the tribal system and are continuously caring on painful process of imposing monolithic view of religions.

Recognition of ‘Devsar’ is holistic recognition of tribal communities in Goa. With this recognition identity and spiritual autonomy of tribal communities stands severely compromised. A critical look at past conversion drives by the church in Goa amongst tribal communities in Goa is required. My first hand information reports from these communities in Balli, Fatorpa and Ambaulim suggests that tribal communities converted to Christianity has very high rate of alcoholism and large number households are headed by Women after their husbands have died as alcohol addicts.

This is something very serious and it cannot be tackled simply by providing superficial solutions like starting of Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) groups. The root causes of this needs to be investigated. My opinion is that it is the combined assault of modernity: organised religions in league with Development paradigm that robbed tribal communities of their ‘Devsar’ - their supreme spiritual identity – and their community lands by the landlords, Communidades, State for various so called development projects and Forest department, Church and Temples in numerous processes since beginning of Portuguese colonial rule in 1510 that continues till date.

During this period few converted tribal communities have completely forgotten ‘Devsar’ under Church indoctrination, Some communities are in the middle of crises as any memory of ‘Devsar’ and its honor attracts reprimand from the Church forcing guilt consciousness that needs to be eroded only by confession. All these meant huge turmoil to adivasi communities that organised religions could hardly find insight into due to various reasons. This particularly needs serious attention from one and all especially now that we will be completing 500 years Portuguese Colonial rule that began in 1510. Church came to Goa as part of Colonial project of exploitation and domination. ‘Devsar’ that has been insulted all these years, adivasi communities that have been margins of our society seeking to make the world hear its perspective of all that went on for this entire period. Anyone interested?

Sebastian Rodrigues

Political Ecology of Climate Crisis: Captures from Goa

By Sebastian Rodrigues, Mand, Goa

Introduction

Global climate crisis is nurtured through innumerable small human capital and greed driven actions detrimental to the planet earth, particularly the survival of human species. The hostile ecological changes that are unfolding are a result of degraded political practices directed towards exploitation of nature to harvest increasing expectations of profits. Myriad of small greed oriented small actions across the globe – particularly amongst the high consuming urban communities and financial institutions such as banks and share holders has created this global crisis. The focus of crisis very often gets reflected in the form of rise in water levels that are leading towards submergence of coastal areas and island across the globe. The deeper engine of crisis is very often camouflaged and remains away from public discourse and public scrutiny. The rising conflicts at the source of minerals are often looked upon in isolation and are not connected to the growth mania of various countries of the world in Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

This paper attempts to capture this unfolding dynamic reality of ecological changes and suggest political necessaries to seriously and urgently address the situation in the context of open cast iron ore, manganese and bauxite mining in Goa. The paper examines crisis at various levels for the reasons of analytical clarity and suggests ways to change.

Crisis of ecology as crisis of polity

The most direct unfolding crisis of ecology is the brutal assault of industry over the western ghats forest in Goa. The forest is well known and often cited as one of the dozen bio-diversity hotspots in the world. These Sahayadri range of mountains range from southern Gujarat, Maharastra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala. Sri Lanka too is often considered as extension of Western Ghats. Forest and Mining concessions/leases intersect each other in highly dangerous manner in the State of Goa. 825 mining leases granted during Portuguese colonial rule that lasted till 1961 retained its foundational structure after Indian State instead of canceling these mining leases legitimized them with fresh legislations thus making mockery of liberation of Goa as well as spelling doom for ecological status of Western ghats that covers forest area in Goa.

Lets look at the factual position based on statistical co-relations prepared by Ramesh Gauns. Western ghats taluka of Quepem has a total area of 318.25 square kilometers. Out of which 101.58 square kilometers is a forest land. Additional 132.03 square kilomets land is Orchard land. Areas under water bodies in this taluka is 5.76 square kilometer. Number of mining leases in this taluka are 54.

In Canacona the taluka’s total area is 352.04 square kilometers. Out of which forest covers 281.60 square kilometers. Orchard land is 3.70 square kilometers. Area under water bodies is 4.75 square kilometers. There are 2 mining leases in this taluka.

Sanguem taluka is biggest taluka of Goa covering 836.62 square kilometers. Out of this forest covers 570.47 square kilometers of land while orchards cover 149.58 square kilometers. Total area under water bodies is 38.79 square kilometers. There are 295 mining leases are concentrated in this taluka.

Neighboring taluka of Ponda has a total land of 292.78 square kilometers. Out of this 53.69 square kilometers of land is under Forest, 130 square kilometers under orchards and 7.82 square kilometer is under water bodies. There are 50 mining leases in this taluka.

Bicholim taluka that has witnessed mining onslaught for the past over half a century has a total area of 238.80 square kilometers with forest covering 12.20 square kilometers and orchards covering 119.43 square kilometers. Water bodies cover 5.70 square kilometers. And there are 125 mining leases in this taluka.

Sattari taluka has the total area of 489.46 square kilometers. Out of which 278.40 square kilometers is forest land and 118.11 square kilometers is orchard land. 12.36 square kilometers of land is covered by water bodies. This taluka has 81 mining leasese.

All the above are Western Ghats talukas in Goa and together they cover 1687.12 square kilometers of land of which 1130.47 square kilometers is forest land out of Goa’s total forest land of 1360.24 square kilometers, and 271.49 square kilometers is land under orchards. Total area under water bodies is 55.90 square kilometers. These Western Ghats talukas totally has 388 mining leases.

It may be of some interest to place these statistics with wider statistical context in terms of State of Goa. The total geographic area is 3702 square kilometers. It has totally 825 mining leases all granted during Portuguese Colonial times that covers 67,822 hectares.

This is clearly an indication of how dangerous situation Goa is rapidly descending into. The dangerous situation emanates from the fact that first casualty of mining activity is water. Water is something so special on this planet earth that is fundamentally responsible to support life in its innumerable and varied forms. Mining attacks and brutalizes this very foundation of life. This then creates irreversible changes in terms of forest, agriculture, wildlife, character of soil structure, human habitat, birds and animal migration patterns, temperature of the locality, course and depth of water bodies including flowing rivers and myriad other changes. The crisis in ecology surmounts one and all.

The ecological crises however are just not unfolding due to natural occurrences in nature although this too is the case. Mining of minerals fundamentally triggers the crisis in polity. It begins from the tagging of minerals underground as “resources”. This reference is very widely prevalent and has inherent inbuilt aggression. It robs the values of minerals for the sake of them where they are located and their role in shaping the locality and wider surrounding in the way it is. The word “resources” also injects a value loaded idea towards the mineral deposits. It values the minerals for their use value not as they existed for millions of years underground but as in terms of its use value for industry. The value is then calculated in monetary terms.

“This is visibly very clear in case of Goa. Open cast mining industry dealing with Iron Ore, Manganese and Bauxite has its prevalence in Goa since 1948 when 100 tonnes of Iron Ore was exported to Japan for the first time, from the times under Portuguese Colonial rule. The industry is basically dig and sell economy located in around 68,000 hectares of land fragmented into 791 mining leases granted during Portuguese colonial regime. Open cast mining of this major industry is principally for export purpose to various countries of the World with Japan being the prominent destination since 1948. In fact Goa’s Ore played major role in resurgence of Japan after being reduced to ashes during the World War II that culminated in dropping of Atom bombs by Americans on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. However China overtook Japan as a leading destination of Goa’s mineral exports during past few years. In fact during 2008-2009 Goan exports of ore to China constituted 86% (32,763,721 tonnes) while next to follow is Japan with 9% (3,557,775 tonnes). Europe (Italy, Netherlands and Rumania) got 2% of Goa’s iron ore exports (680,513 tonnes), South Korea got 1% of Exports (545,228 tonnes), Pakistan got 1% of exports (258,029 tonnes), and Middle East (Qatar, Kuwait, Dubai and Saudi Arabia) got 1% (231,457 tonnes). African nation Kenya got fraction of it too - 38,500 tonnes.

According to the selected statistics (Amended upto March 31, 2009) on Goan Mineral Ore Exports Compiled by Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association Goa’s exports particularly of Iron Ore has been increasing at rapid pace. During 2005-2006 it was 25,537,924 tonnes, In 2006-2007 it rose to 30,893,953 tonnes. In 2007-2008 it increased to 33,434,429 tonnes. In 2008-2009 exports jumped to 38,075,223 tonnes out of which 32,629,521 tonnes is to China alone.

Mining companies involved in Goan Iron Ore exports during 2008-2009 includes miners, transporters and real estate companies. The list is as follows: Sesa Goa Limited, V.S. Dempo & Company Pvt. Ltd., Sociedade de Fomento Indl. P. Ltd., Prime Mineral Exports Pvt. Ltd., Fomento (Karnataka) Mining Co. P. Ltd., V.M. Salgaoncar & Bro. Pvt. Ltd., V.M. Salgaoncar Sales International, Chowgule & Company Pvt. Limited, Chowgule & Co. (Salt) Pvt. Ltd., Chowgule & Co. Pvt. Ltd. (Mandovi Pellets), Salgaoncar Mining Industries P. Ltd., Timblo Private Limited, Timblo Enterprises, Damodar Mangalji & Co. Ltd., Bandekar Brothers, V.G. Mehta Exports, Vassaantram Mehta & Co. Pvt. Ltd., Venture Resource Holdings., Venture Real Estate, PEC Limited, Karishma Exports, Karishma Goa Mineral Trading, Rajaram Bandekar (s) Mines P. Ltd., Rajaram N.S. Bandekar & Co. P. Ltd., Narayan Bandekar & Sons Pvt. Ltd., On & Offshore Hitech Engineers P. Ltd., Trimuthi Exports, D.B. Bandodkar & Sons Pvt. Ltd., Shree Bhavani Minerals, Minescape Minerals Pvt. Ltd., Prasanna V. Ghotge, Star PVG Exports, Sri Krishna Enterprises, Gangadhar Narsingdas Agrawal, Fulchand Exports, Baggadia Brothers, Shree Mallikarjun Shipping, Alphine International, MSPL Limited, Ramakanta V. S. Velingkar, Ramakanta Velingkar Minerals, Magnum Minerals Pvt. Ltd., Rika Global Impex Ltd., Muktar Pvt. Ltd., Canara Overseas Limited, Shantadurga Transport Co. P. Ltd., and Adani Enterprises Limited. All these companies has exported Goan Iron Ore to China without any exception. These are the beneficiaries of the Goa’s dig and sell economy to which this trade is the backbone of their economies fetching unimaginable financial rewards without being in any affecting with global depression.

Sesa Goa limited – owned by British corporate Vedanta that is listed on London stock exchange and funded by large number of banks and shareholders world over - has topped the list of exporters with total of 10,345,020 tonnes of export of Iron Ore. Out this 8,977,723 tonnes exported to China, 631,186 tonnes exported to Japan, 212,378 tonnes to South Korea, 265,704 to Europe, and 258,029 tonnes to Pakistan. The company – V.S. Dempo & Company Pvt. Ltd – that Vedanta purchased in June 2009 with all its mining interests in Goa exported total of 4,347,543 tonnes of iron ore to China (3,882,550 tonnes) and Japan (464,993 tonnes). Vedanta’s target of exports for 2009-2010 is whopping 50,000,000 tonnes from its mines in Goa alone. This is larger than last year’s (2008-2009) combined total of all the mining companies export from Goa of 38,075,223 tonnes of iron ore. For Vedanta Goa is a Sunshine State! With this known target of one mining company alone destruction of Goa’s ecology and People’s livelihood is guaranteed.

Audoot Timblo who filed defamation suit of Rs.500 crore against the author of this paper – Sebastian Rodrigues - at Calcutta High Court in December 2008 citing that his writings at GAKUVED blog www.mandgoa.blogspot.com has caused loss of business and existence of Fomento group is in danger if his writings continues has three mining companies in his kitty. The first one is Sociedade de Fomento Indl P. ltd that exported 2,348,970 tonnes to China (3,882,550 tonnes), Japan (453,005 tonnes) and Europe (339,330 tonnes). The second one is Prime Mineral Exports Pvt. Ltd. That exported 1,644,432 tonnes of Iron Ore to China. The third one is Fomento (Karnataka) Mining Co. P. Ltd that sent 119,964 of Goan ore to China. This way there are 50 agencies that are engaged in export of Goa’s Iron Ore. Their names are already cited above.

In order to sustain this exports tirade Goa’s hinterlands has been at the brutal receiving ends. Its Forest and agriculture in large number of villages where open cast mining activity is undertaken has been a huge casualty thereby causing crisis of food security for humans and animals alike. Goa’s ground water flow has been drastically changed due to deep mining pits in number of locations thereby leaving village wells, natural lakes, springs, ponds and rivulets dry. Water dependency has developed in the Goa’s mining belt. Number of people has become victims of dangerous Public Health Crisis in the Goa’s mining belt that is yet to be thoroughly investigated. Large number of people of Pissurlem and Keri – in Sattari are suffering from number lung diseases including tuberculosis. While People in and around Rivona in Sanguem suffer from Chicken Gunia almost in epidemic form few months ago in September – October 2009.

Number of voices has cropped up recently highlighting that all is not well with open cast mining industry in Goa and in fact it is rapidly destroying not only the backbone of the local people’s economy i.e. agriculture, but also causing irreversible ecological changes with long term unforeseen consequences. Due to inherent rush of the China boom and lure of foreign currency mining companies are in competition with each other to transform Goa into a desert – all of them working at breath neck speed. This is duly facilitated by mechanized nature of the mining industry with latest sophisticated machinery waging a war against nature and humanity in Goa. Communities has been lured into alcoholism and cleverly fragmented into factions causing frequent strife so that the will of the mining industry prevails.”[1] Clearly crisis in polity is visible.

Crisis of Economy

It is clear that crisis in ecology and crisis in polity are increasingly manifesting itself on the theatre of economy. Economy in both the macro as well as micro sense. At macro level massive beneficiaries has been the mining companies. Their incomes from mining in Goa are several time higher than income of the State of Goa. The by itself is a crisis. How come the wealth generated from the ore in the State of Goa gets distributed in such a scandalous manner? The ecological exploitation has created economic power houses that are unhealthy for society as this has generated power relations based of acute inequality. The existence of inequality is the visible sign of crisis of economy.

At a micro level employment in terms of trucks for villagers has created a arrogant lobby arguing for the mining industry. Their logic is driven by crisis of economy. Their most often repeated argument on the streets with the protestor is that they have taken loans to buy trucks. And in order to pay loans they need to keep their trucks employed with mining companies. Or if protestors feel that they should stop mining transportation then the protestors must pay the loans of the trucks to the banks. The role of banks as large scale behind the curtain beneficiary becomes evident here. The long term interests of sustenance of the life support systems that are rooted in ecology are carefully overlooked.

Humanity suffers at this juncture suffer another major division. Climate crisis often referred as caused by human action. But the major chunk of crisis has been driven by the business houses and the industry. This is also the case of Goa. Mining companies are tiny section of humanity in terms of numbers. Yet they are able to caused massive perturbations across the board – in ecology, in economy and in polity. This section of humanity has gathered lots of power by virtue of their scandalous accumulation of wealth, influence over polity and control over media. This is a case of Goa too.

Overcoming crisis

One of the formidable challenges today has been to overcome the crisis in ecology, crisis in polity as well as crisis in economy. The fundamental paradigms shifts are necessary in the way the life is approached. Not just the life of human species but essential understanding of life support systems on wider canvass. The idea that human species is superior to all other species has to be questioned as human species cannot survive alone by itself. It needs all the known and unknown forces of universe to make itself viable on earth. The idea that human beings – particularly those who uphold private ownership of nature ideology is essentially defective. In fact this is a crisis of understanding that is fuelled by greed and insecurity. This situation gets aggravated when these mindset people takes control of the State and begin to further re-inforce this ideology with State apparatus that includes monopoly over instruments, agencies and justifications for violence. This has largely been the case of Goa in terms of the way it has transformed over the past 80 years. Mining leases legally disposed all other legal titles of people to their land and once leases activated it in practice deprived people including tribal people of Goa. The resistance was met with brute force. The entire edifice of resistance has to undergo drastic and radical change.

Metal Sensitivity – need for sustainable futures[2]

While there has been a large amount of disruption of life and life supporting systems due to rampant mining activities, the aspect of consumption pattern - particularly of metals - has remained largely unaddressed amongst the milieu seeking to do way with anti-sustainable development patterns in operation. The daily routine of battle largely kept theoretical understanding of countering the exploitative process at the source of mining activities viz. stopping the operation of mines, campaigning against police repression on protestors etc something that is so necessary too.

However, those who are the consumers of the products from the mined minerals such as Iron Ore, Magnesium, Bauxite, Gold, Copper and all other types of minerals, are never questioned. There are multiple classes of people that are involved in conspicuous consumption of the products of the mined products for various reasons such as statement of a class, fashion, luxury and also as psychopathic greed. Today and also earlier it has been a practice to own jewelry – gold, diamond and silver etc – as a symbol of wealth. Possessions of these metals constitutes ‘security’ to some, status symbol to some, statement of class to still others, fashion to the well off classes, etc. There is need for radical need to question these consuming classes. There is need to reflect as to amount of mining is needed to carry on to make these fine products as class statements.

Consumption of Costly cars is another fad of the burgeoning global middle that is growing in leaps and bound India as well as in China. One peculiar habit of this class of people is to buy cars. After one car there is a trend to go for second and third cars. Amount of Iron Ore that gets concentrated in manufacture of these cars is not only enormous ecological scandal but also huge burden on the people in the mining global mining belts battling mining companies and State repressive mechanisms. The link needs to be strongly built between the consuming classes of the World and the mining companies-State nexus. This consumption pattern spearheaded by upper and middle classes also needs to be targeted in development related resistance discourse in theory as well as systematic practical application to address uncalled for irrational burden of car consumption by consuming classes. It is much wiser to divert the precious metal in improving Public transportation rather than promote through state patronage individual car consumption.

There is also need to be sensitive towards various daily use gadgets made up of metals and dependent upon electricity that is rapidly finding its ways in consumption patterns. Metal gadgets are entering the household consumption agendas in the same way that plastic entered household agendas by destroying India’s well known mud pottery in front of the onslaught of plastic industry. Large amount and variety of mineral are utilized for the manufacture of computers that has also already become household item in middle classes and upper middle classes. Communication systems that are evolving such as e-mail and World Wide Web is largely dependent upon for their applicability on metal consuming gadgets such as computers and mobile phones with economics of profitability being its driving force of their promotion. Evolution in communications technology has even evolved a term called ‘personal computer (PC)’ as one of the very basic concept in its functioning and appeal. The underlying message that one can derive is the computer for personal use. The term ‘Personal’ is distinctly different from ‘Family’, ‘Neighbourhood’ and of ‘Village’. The nature and ideology of these technological gadgets are reflected in their nomenclature itself. It targets individual and then transform and individual into consumer.

Construction industry uses huge amount of metal in the process. Moreover the construction as an industry – also known as real estate industry has transformed itself into profit driven industry. It is engaged in the project of housing and luxury hotel projects that are for the consumption of high spending upper and middle classes. There is a need for critical question on the entire matrix of Construction industry. There is a need to understand the magnitude of metal consumption at various levels by this industry.

There is also need to be metal sensitive when it comes to global war industry. The triple humiliating aspect of this industry is that first, it is an industry that is designed to kill human being in variety of ways, secondly, it is one of the largest consumers of metals and thereby ensures steady demand for ore and profitability of the mining industry. Thirdly, it is principally and legitimately financed through public funding by various state agencies. Consent is manufactured to legitimize this industry in the name of law and order and nationalism. Military agencies that includes Army, Navy and Air force of various individual countries as well as international agencies such as NATO, use large amount of metals for their various consumption needs such as trucks, tankers, ships, guns, bullets, protective gears, missiles, various kinds of ammunitions etc. Numbers of States are responsible for creation and promotion of non-state actors to engage in violence so that war industry continuously floats in profits through various kinds of conflicts all over the world. Peace and understanding is essentially valid option in the interest of sustainable future so that abuse of metals by war industry can be restricted. The metal sensitivity in war industry is all the more needed here due to one additional reason too. Number of countries has been considering nuclear option in war. This has led to creation of large networks of nuclear mines, nuclear plants, Military and Science. It is almost a nexus as the nuclear industry has managed to get itself state protection in number of countries and lage amount of public funding is directed towards building steady supply lines and utmost preparedness for nuclear attacks on so-called enemy country. This has been the phenomena especially after the Second World War when USA dropped couple of atom bombs on Japan in August 1945.

Even independent of war industry nuclear industry must be targeted even for civilian purposes. Nuclear mining is one of the most dangerous mining industries causing radioactive hazards. The worst case of nuclear mining in India is in Jharkhand’s Jadugoda Uranium mines. Due to passing of Indo-US nuclear deal, numbers of nuclear reactors that are facing opposition from conscious consumers of electricity in the West – Europe, America and Australia - are all set to relocate themselves in India. Couple new uranium mining sites are also getting cleared in spite of the opposition in Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh States of India. Few sites are identified for nuclear reactors in number of Indian States including Maharastra. The State of Goa is going to be sandwiched between the two nuclear reactors – one to the South: Kaiga nuclear plant in Karnataka and one to the North : Ratnagiri in Maharastra.

Metal sensitivity is largely being able to be aware of once choices of consumption, one being able to critique and reflect on prevailing pattern of consumption related to metals, being able to reach out and connect with consuming classes and begin process of honest and frank communication, being able to decipher between need based consumption and greed based consumption, being able to willing to make serious effort to search for alternatives and challenge the profit based metal consumption to be replaced by need based metal consumption. To be able to connect loss of livelihood of the indigenous communities in Goa, Jharkhand, Orissa and other places in India, Philippines, Bolivia, East Timor and mines in other parts of the World to global consumption patterns based on overexploitation. It also means being able to disconnect with metal industry and connect with real people and community. It means being able to arrive at inner peace within an individual without greedy consumption of metals in various forms. It also means being able to find safer alternatives to nuclear power plants for electricity consumption. It also means serious re-thinking on our aspirations of life styles being more metal sensitive. Most importantly it means unlearning models of consumption based on greed. It means being willing to learn from various indigenous communities the models of life that is based on non-exploitative terms and integrating them into mainstream. It also means able to apply various societal and state agencies to influence metal sensitive development initiatives and alter existing consumption patterns that are leading the planet towards catastrophes such as nuclear radiation, industrial disasters and climate change. All the three looming catastrophes are caused by industrialization.

Non-industrial low ecological foot print communities such as Adivasi communities provide important lessons in peace, community spirit and non metal consumption pattern that have potentials for clues of solutions for greed based over consumption patterns. Metal sensitivity also means defending these communities. These communities have inhabited the planet and also used metals in most sensible and non exploitative manner towards nature as well as to human communities. It is only modern organized societies that are intensely involved in creating unsustainable future ever since industrial revolution for the past three centuries.

Aiming de-growth

The logic of growth model of development has fuelled and continuously aggravated the climate crisis. The ideology of this model of development is single most factor of disruption of life and life support system in terms of mining in Goa. The important characteristic of this feature is that this model of development is embarked upon by States that espouse capitalist ideology like USA, Europe and Japan, countries that espoused communist ideology like that of China and Countries that experimented with mixed economies such as India. In fact the countries and their varied ideologies have reduced themselves into a mere subset of growth model of development. The repeated recessions has signaled the nemesis of the system world wide and the global economy carries on this model of economy through intense and violent integration of wider and newer areas into the chains of servitude in global political economy – production, distribution, consumption and exchange. Goa is witnessing itself in powerful assertive impulse.

There is a need to undertake re-look at this growth led development model, introspect on it and get into the process of dismantling it. There is a need for powerful and sustain action at the global as well as local levels in this regard. Power of de-growth option will emerge from consistent organization, reflection, evaluation and action on behalf of the mass of people at different levels in coordination with each other. This process that needs to be followed for this is bottom-up approach in organizing with ever deepening clarity of thought and vision.

One element that may be deliberately excluded from this action is violence. This is particularly because the growth model in place uses it so carefully to silence dissenters in ways more than one. It is not possible to embark on creating new models of sustainability based on violence as violence is source as well as model of unsustainability that is so integral part of growth model of development.

There is a need to set up small decentralized de-growth groups all over the state of Goa and beyond for both in order to provoke puncturing of growth model as well as establishing new models of sustainability. These groups must be formed as coalitions of various resistance movements so that they are able connect with consumption and distribution side of the political economy. Establishing these crisp cross linkages will serve as lifeline for dismantling the growth model as well for the evolution of new models with new paradigms and parameters.

The entire State of Goa from the grass roots level must be involved in this process cutting across the all human created barriers. If setting up of groups are not possible then the theme of de-growth must be pushed on the various platforms to promote wider dissemination of ideas and generation of quality debates serving as grinders for action and advancement.

De-growth has to not only be spread as idea – a radical critique of the prevalent system represented by growth model but also must take grip as pedagogy – actual practice of de-growth and rise of economy based on sustainability. This will have be patience project that far exceeds the narrow agendas of any kind of sectarian interests.

The involvement of large number of people in this project will get more minds searching the ways out to dismantle growth model of development as well as creating social infrastructure for the rise of self-dependent sustainable society. Important aspect of this whole endeavor is to take the debate out of the boardrooms of narrow circuits of researchers and get it tested with mass of people out in the open, in spaces and places where collective discussions are practiced. It may be on the streets, on village groups working on democracy, workers collective bargaining for their wages, urban groups of poor fighting for their share of water and food, middle class consumer rights groups demanding efficiency of delivery of gas cylinders at home, women organized to counter male domination, concerned teachers organizing themselves to infuse quality values in their students, student organizations who believe they have a duty towards their country, Members of political parties eager to do public service, Clergy groupings wanting to serve society with motivations from their respective religions, Groups farmers organized into the club, enterprising women that are part of self-help groups. All needs to be included. Greater the inclusion, better and effective it is for the growth model functions with exclusion of the majority. To dismantle this model first thing that is required is inclusion of the majority to evolve sustainable model that rescues society, polity, economy and ecology from crisis, and further go about to build a self-sustaining economy.

So the ‘crisis out there’, after deeper introspection becomes ‘crisis in here’. So the remedy for wider society and polity is also remedy for ones deep and intimate self. There is no dichotomy involved. Personal changes are outcomes of deeper reflections on wider issues. They look insignificant for non-sensitive audience. Sensitivity is the key. Personal reflections do away with dichotomies and the quality of vibrations oozing out from deeper self become purer with every action of introspection. It is a seed of de-growth. It is there in all of us. Point is whether we are willing to slow down and let it germinate.

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[1] Rodrigues, Sebastian (2010) “Goa Police as an agency of repression 2007-2009” presented at the State level Seminar on “Human Rights and Environment – A Focus on Goa” at the Department of Political Science, St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa, Goa on International Human Rights Day December 10, 2009.

[2] Rodrigues, Sebastian (2009) “Mining and Displacement of Sustainable Livelihoods in Goa, India” in Ulvila, Marko and Panasen, Jarna (eds) Sustainable Futures: Replacing Growth Imperative and Hierarchies with Sustainable Ways published by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.

Note: This paper was circulated, presented and discussed at the National Consultation on the Impact of Climate Change on Livelihood and Support Systems held on 16-17 February 2010 at Bio-Medical Ethics Centre, Mumbai. The consultation was organised jointly by four organisations - (IRDWSI), Society for Participatory Action and Reflection (SPAR), and Vikas Adhyayan Kendra (VAK).

Acknowledgments: Prof. Alberto Gomes for his ideas on the concept of Political Ecology

Beginning with Dadu….

Half a century has passed since Indian Constitution is in operation. It has some very attractive characteristics of focus to be adopted by all the segments of Indian Society. The Constitutions’ resolve to construct India as Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic is very essence in a way it then unfolds though 395 articles, Twelve Schedules. In theory all these is meant to provide justice – social, economic and political; Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; Equality of status and opportunity; promotion of Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.

No doubt that this is one of the most amazing experiments in democracy in the World that has continued ever since adoption of Constitution on 26^th November 1949. Various dynamics of caste, class and religions has unfolded themselves in this complex matrix over the past half century. This amazing nature of transformation of various categories has been jostling with each other for something very powerful – expression and liberation of its people. Number of movements has gripped this country- movements are as varied and diverse from Telangana movement soon after Independence in 1940s to demand for separate Telangana State that has reached its boiling point in 2010. Peasants expressed loudly. People suppressed with aid of institutional violence of caste too have articulated remarkably. In fact Dr.Ambedkar who chaired the Constitutional Assembly that drafted the Constitution of Indian was dedicated advocate of liberation of suppressed castes. His dedicated efforts for the liberation of suppressed castes that came to be referred as Dalit, led to his sharp and sustained differences with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

The efforts and energy that went into the drafting and accepting the Constitution to India are huge and well known from the records available in constitutional debates. The next stage has been the working of the Constitution of India for the past over 60 years. Constitution of India by itself is huge step towards liberation of People of India in relative sense. Considering the complexity of the nation it has never been easy for constitution to come alive on its own without organized efforts from various sources; sometimes State agencies, sometimes public spirited organizations, and sometimes courageous individuals determined to put the words in the constitution in practice. The State as an agency bound by the Constitution of India often tended to transgress and indulge in violations of the Constitutional mandates including the Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy. The legal enforcements of Fundamental Rights has been left to judiciary particularly at higher levels that do not too often is accessible to the poor and the common people unless they are organized for political action for the purpose.

Power relations in society very often generate very strong currents that are counter to the spirit of the Constitution. There are several power relations that work simultaneously to thwart the spirit of the Constitution. Some of these worth listing:

Elite dominated Judiciary: there could not be any greater danger to the Constitution of India than from the elite dominated judiciary in India. Judiciary though very often has played very important role in society. However on very often when it tested on crucial points it has faltered to defend the spirit of Constitution. Indian Supreme Court’s decision to uphold curtailment of Article 21 (Right to life) by the Indian government of Indira Gandhi during emergency shall forever remain darkest moment in Indian democracy. The judgment was dissented on the sole judge Justice Khanna who refused to compromise the spirit of the Constitution and get bullied by the Indian Government under emergency. Another occasion wherein the judiciary has made travesty of justice is in when supreme court ruling couple of years ago deciding on British multinational corporate – Vedanta’s – mining interests on Niyamgiri hills that are life source for the adivasi people of the locality. Supreme Court bench not only let Vedanta carry on the mining in Niyamgiri Forests in Orissa but also urged Dongria adivasis to take share of profits from the mining company. Justice Chabaria even went on praising the mining company and declared in the open court that he owns the shares of the company! Compromises in judiciary in upholding the spirit of constitution is biggest threat to the Indian democracy facing today. Judges tend to toe the line of commercial interests and ruling governments. The problem is aggravated due to intolerance of criticism from any quarters. Power of contempt is invoked on anyone venturing to protest against the judicial verdicts and judges. Arundhati Roy was charged with contempt when she critiqued Judiciary’s view point of tribals and was forced to imprisonment for few days. This is a very unfortunate trend for India. Ruthless criticism of Indian judiciary is the need of the hour to further expand the liberative horizons. One can’t refrain from expressing deep appreciation for the Judiciary in Pakistan when the dictator General Parvez Musharaf tried to put his cronies as judges replacing unflinching Justice Iftikar Chowdury in the highest court in Pakistan. The agitation by Pakistan lawyers led by its Chief justice is one of the rarest and inspiring instances in recent South Asian history that successfully overthrow the dictator. Indian judiciary has so much to learn from its Pakistani counterpart. People of India must indulge in relentless criticism of its Judiciary and simultaneously be prepared to spend time in jail when charged with contempt. These levels of efforts are a need of the hour in the present juncture of our times. At deep and subtle level question arises: can Indian Judiciary remain free from Caste and Class alignments of power relations?

Disorganized citizenry: It is not enough that India has one of the best Constitutions in the World in place. Large part of the county is still disorganized and it is very important that citizens self-organise themselves to get the constitution unfolding itself in practice. The price of democracy is eternal vigilance of its citizens. It is in this context the publisher of Prajasattak continually for the last half decade – Dadu Mandrekar – deserves special recognition for all his hard work to create annual atmosphere of constitutional awareness. Dadu is like bright burning candlelight in all gloomy night that continuously burns itself to uphold the theory and practice of Constitution of India. He is certainly doing his level best as per the capacities gifted on him by nature. He is also an inspiration for others groping in dark to believe that it is better to light a candle than to curse darkness. The lesson one needs to draw out from Dadu Mandrekar is that it means swimming against the tide to defend and uphold the constitution of India. These are exactly the kind and magnitude of efforts required on the part of citizens to make Indian Constitution work and rooted amongst the people at large. Unfailingly he publishes one annual issue of Prajasattak. It is just not about publication, it is more than that. It about continues debate that he carries on with large number of people focusing attention on the document called ‘Constitution of India’, the verbal thoughts and vibes that he transmits then gets gradually chrysalises into thoughts and ultimately flows through written word in several languages in this annual issue – Konkani, Marathi, Hindi, and English. I am happy to be involved in this venture of Dadu since the beginning. The consistency of efforts and perseverance in the face of worst of odds is what has taken Dadu to continue these efforts with remarkable breakthroughs. Worst of odds includes painstaking and repeated follow up with contributors like me, and shortage of finance for to pay the printer to get the publication on time in the face of reluctance of the agencies to be liberal in granting of advertisements. The reluctance is mostly due to two factors: firstly, low level of awareness on the importance of Constitution of India. Secondly, the play of cast politics; had Dadu been a Saraswat Brahmin he would have no shortage of flow of funds for he would have tremendous connections to pull strings at the snap of his fingers. Dadu is a dalit. He takes you to Goa full of exploitation and oppression. Which business funders or State agencies would like to politically and financially align with him? Dadu’s ways has often been to take loan on the small quantity of jewelry that his wife posses and then over a period of time to pay back the loan and recover the jewelry. In some was as a commitment to uphold constitution of India ‘We the People’ has to align ourselves with Dadu and support his efforts and respond to his calls to finance support. It is ‘We the People’ who are in need this Constitution of India rather than ‘We the Corporate’ dominated by the very forces that carried on the exploitation in feudal form for past centuries denying humanity to women and pushing majority section of humanity into outcast and untouchables creating lame social system for steady supply of free labour generating surplus in the hands of few that considered themselves privileged through religious sanctions to rule and be component of the State. Dadu is individual. Dadu is a symbol of determination. Dadu is a metaphor of this reality.

Corporate rampage: Mainstream Indian development model particularly since past two decades has been aggressive assault on the Article 38 of the constitution –“ State to secure a social order for the promotion of welfare of the people – (1) The State shall strive to promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may a social order in which justice, social, economic and political, shall inform all the institutions of the national life. (2) The State shall, in particular, strive to minimize the inequalities in income, and endeavor to eliminate inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities, not only amongst the individuals but also amongst groups of people residing in different areas or engaged in different vocations.” State in India today has completely let loose the corporate rampage. Ruling and opposition parties in the India are providing tacit support to this corporate aggression. In fact they are active colluders as corporate funding has been stable funding for the function of political parties in India. The ruling congress party opened out Indian economy in 1991. The opposition BJP then in order to divert protest against the economic policies indulged in breaking up of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya thereby by paying way for riots and channelizing debate towards communal question in India and providing safe entry for economic bullies to set up their bases in the country. However after the luster of Ayodhya demolition faded away reality began to strike point blank – one after the other – Indian political establishment began active colluder with the global economic giants seeking to plunder India in wide and diverse manner. Land grabs began to be legitimized legally through SEZ Act. Vast tracks of land were parceled out for Special Economic Zones (SEZ) though out the country. Wherever there was there was some form of political organization of People. In other places it has been open unchallenged loot of cooperates. Mining companies has been provided with red carpet welcome in India. State has created civil wars in order to clear the land for the corporate. Tribal people known also as adivasis are found to be direct enemy of corporate and correspondingly the direct enemy of the State to be plotted against and drawn into the war known as ‘Salwa Julum’ in Chatisgarh, and then consent to be established through various discourses in the media – Indian media has transformed itself into great factory of manufacturing consent. Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram came alive on NDTV a month ago and declared ‘It is a matter of worldview whether one believes that tribals must live in isolation or they must be helped to integrate in the national mainstream”. According to this logic the war and fight for mineral in the Country has been a helping hand to integrate tribals into the mainstream India! What a cleaver way to camouflage the blunt State-Corporate combine aggression to usurp land through dispossession! This is a reality today across India, across Konkan, and across Goa. Societies are getting polarized into two and middle class is sandwiched between the two – not knowing which side to align with. Disposes tribals, disposes peasants, disposes farmers, disposes fishermen, and disposes urban poor. For Forest are up for sale, Sea and rivers are up for sale, Water is up for sale, land is up for sale, minerals are up for sale! Its sale all the way if you have money to buy. If not, then it is plundering my love, right through! And what does one does in the face of plunder?

Determined and organized efforts are needed to defend the constitution of India. I join forces with Dadu and invite you too, for time to organise has dawned! We need to organize to resist plunder, we need to organize to straighten up our difference within oppressed sections. We need to organize for power – Social, Cultural, Political, Spiritual and Economic. We need to organize to retain our dignity. We need to organize to run marathon in struggle. Long term perspective in organizing is very essential. Impulsive reactions with deficiency in planning will not lead to any kind of effect on those plundering us. Similarly single issue struggle will not make any effective dent in these efforts either. In fact this does not posses any kind of possibilities to halt plunder. Number of single issue lobbyist must build alliances amongst themselves and get into long term project of planning together and collective critique of the system in place. Plundering goes on unheeded precisely because of unorganized nature of resistance with no proper understanding of motives and direction of struggle. Too many groups involved in resistance are getting pushed into isolation and they lack mechanism to connect and break their isolations. Besides there is need for critical assessments of various changes taking place worldwide in the face of climate crisis and evolving worldwide planetary efforts to face the crisis and how some countries are making business opportunity out of this serious crisis. What are the implications for the Constitution of India in the face of Climate crisis? How one does seriously and urgently halts trends of overconsumption that is prompting corporate war on people of India and People of planet Earth? There is need for intellectuals to soil themselves in the mundane tasks of organizing. There is need for the activist to get into rigors of study, reflection and disciplined expressions. It is tough for both. Yet this needs to be done. Theories cannot be dished out from academic ivory towers. It needs sweat and hard work of involvement on the part of intellectuals in various academic institutions. They need to soil their hands and hearts in struggle and then express out loud. Activists too very urgently need to take re-look at the way their time is invested and streamline their commitments. Balance of study and action is what is needed without getting sucked up into the logic of the system: “If you are not with us then you are against us”. We need to fight our ways out of this logic and stride towards massive breakthroughs consistently. The beginning has to be made. It may be very small. I am beginning with Dadu…

Sebastian Rodrigues

Written for Prajasatak 2010 issue edited and published by Dadu Mandrekar on the occasion of Republic Day, 26th January 2010 in Panjim.