The locals of Goa have an innate environmental awareness. There are many watchdog organizations today that ensure planted trees exceed cut trees; cut down due to booming construction activities. I was happy to see well taken care of inland waterways and mangroves . While driving inland through the hills, I purchased pineapples from the local roadside stalls and they were the best I’ve ever eaten, so sweet and succulent. The next day, while on the streets and markets of Pnajim, I saw old women hawking raw cashews and local Goan mangoes. I glances across the hills and saw the insistence of non-highrise of Goa Luxury Hotels. The coastal regulations prohibit construction within 500 meters of the coastline. I wish all of India’s coastlines had such rules in place. A true testament to Goa’s environmental awareness.
The older quarters in Panjim , now an historical site, has an amazing gully structure (small pathways), with even more amazing intricate carved and trellised houses marked with a clever way to annouce the owners name: a blue or dark blue plate fitted into the wall outside. Some are brick red that only add to the colors of the whiteness of the homes. This area is blessed with home-style restaurants serving Goan foods. A visiting friend of mine highly recommend that I treat myself to lunch in one of these restaurants. What a wonderful way to live in harmony with the land.
Given my first visit to Goa 30 years ago, one thing that reassures me is the effort being put in maintaining the greenery. Goa is still lush with mangroves, trees and individual riches that still counted in terms of how much land one has and how many mango, cashew and coconut tree crown it. I noticed that it was homes nestled amongst the trees and not the trees decorating the homes. I hope it will always stay this way.