NT Reporter
Panaji
Stating that land sharks are descending upon Goa’s horticulture lands, retired Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Justice Ferdino Rebello said that critical agricultural lands, originally granted for horticulture purposes, are now under threat from developers.
He also urged those in power to carefully choose their words when speaking on environmental issues, emphasising their constitutional duty to protect the environment.
Justice Rebello was
delivering a lecture following the launch of the fifth edition of Claude Alvares’ book ‘Fish, Curry and Rice’ on Saturday.
Speaking to an audience of activists and environmentalists, Justice Rebello presented a holistic interpretation of the book’s title that went far beyond its culinary connotations.
“Fish, curry, rice – I don’t see that book in that context. I see fish, curry, rice in a different context altogether,” he said, painting a vivid picture of Goa’s interconnected ecosystem. “Fish is not always a mackerel. Fish is an entire cycle of life starting from the hilltop down to the rivers into the ocean,” Justice Rebello said.
“When you say curry, it is our orchard land, it is our coconut groves. And rice – these are our paddy fields, our coastal land where it grows. Fish curry rice is an entire cycle starting from the mountains down to the plains, down to the coasts and our paddy fields.”
The jurist criticised legislative loopholes that ostensibly protect agricultural while creating pathways for conversion. He referenced the Protection of Agriculture Land Act, initially welcomed as progressive legislation, but later discovered to contain provisions enabling conversion of paddy fields to settlement zones under specific conditions.
“Even when this law is enforced, the Town and Country Planning Department grants permission based upon zoning changes,” Justice Rebello said,
highlighting regulatory contradictions that environmentalists continue battling in courts.
Drawing from his constitutional expertise, the former Chief Justice invoked Article 51-A(g), emphasising citizens’ fundamental duty to protect the environment. “It is the duty of every citizen to protect the environment, the trees, birds, and animals,” he stated, calling upon constitutional functionaries to choose their words carefully when addressing environmental concerns
The retired Chief Justice said that Goa’s horticulture land comprises 842.99 sq kms or 22.77% of the landmass, while paddy fields constitute 431.6 sq kms or 11.6% of the total area.
“Goa is worth fighting for. Today, two judges of the Supreme Court of India, while hearing a matter, said we are not going to allow Goa to be converted into a concrete jungle. Are we as Goans going to keep quiet? We must fight together to preserve this Goa,” Justice Rebello said.
