News that the central Inland Waterways Authority of India has granted its approval, via its digital portal, for a Rs 8-crore private jetty to be built at Malim on the northern bank of the River Mandovi has understandably opened a can of worms. Both the local MLA and the local panchayat have spoken out against being kept in the dark about the project and have vowed to oppose it.
The entire incident raises questions about who has the final say in what can be allowed and what cannot be allowed in Goa’s rivers, which have been designated as national waterways. The question takes us back to the post-2014 period in Goa when, for the first time, the proposal to nationalise Goa’s rivers was on the table. The government of the day, then led by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was eager to insist that the declaration of Goa’s rivers as national waterways would benefit the state. The argument primarily was that designation as national waterways would mean that the IWAI would bring in much-needed funds to develop jetties along Goa’s rivers and help develop tourism, faster ferry services and the like.
At the time, opposition parties and civil society opposed the move, warning that declaring Goa’s rivers, which are a crucial resource for the local community — be it for fishing, agriculture, or navigation —would reduce the vibrant ecosystems that have a life of their own as waterways. The opposition also warned that control of the rivers would be handed over to the IWAI, while locals, for whom the rivers have sustained for centuries, would lose access and need permission to simply push a canoe into the water.
That debate has answered itself this week. Despite the ruling BJP’s protestations back then, the reality is clear for all to see. Rohan Khaunte’s and the local village panchayat's complaint that they have been kept in the dark regarding the project approval leaves no doubt in the minds of people as to who holds control of what projects can be allowed in Goa’s rivers. Yes, there are still other permissions that the project proponents will need -- permissions like CRZ clearance, and possibly also a clearance from the Captain of Ports department, provided that the IWAI has not superseded that department as well. But when it comes to the local government having a say, it appears that that ship has well and truly sailed.
This is in keeping with the larger shift towards powers being taken away from local bodies and local governments and given to the hands of unelected bureaucrats to make decisions for the state -- often decisions that favour investors over local inhabitants. We’ve already seen that in the way panchayats have, for all practical purposes, been deprived of their powers of deciding on applications for construction licences with the TCP holding controls.
At this stage, it is yet unclear as to what options the state government has, should the local MLA decide he wants to go against the project. It is of utmost importance that the government clarify the powers that the IWAI has vis a vis approving projects in the state and the role of the state government, if any, in having them accepted or rejected. Anything less, and Goans will be reduced to being strangers or guests in their own lands while those sitting in AC offices in a faraway land will be calling the shots.
