Development and roots

I live in Kakinada. This was a Portugese colony, later annexed by the British. Yanam, a former French enclave and today part of Pondichery shares border with Kakinada. This was a small moffusil town though the headquarters of East Godavari District. There are three main roads parallel to each other intersected at right angles by side roads. This town has several lakes, well preserved, and generally clean. Once upon a time, this was known as Pensioners’ Paradise.

Educationally, this town was very important. The first Engineering College in AP was established here. There is a Medical College, one of the oldest Arts college, Polytechnic, ITI, etc. some dating back to pre-independence days. Today we have several corporate schools and colleges, coaching centres, in addition.

The discovery of gas off Kakinada coast is changing the face of this town. You see more of people from other parts of country which was not the case even as recently as 5 years.
Like any other town, vehicles have outgrown the capacity of roads, shopping malls like Spencers have sprung up. The profile of the people has also changed. Kakinadites are in the software field in a big way.

However, one puzzling aspect is there is no gas run buses or autos here. Kakinada gas may power several projects elsewhere. But people in places like Gadimoga, the nerve centre of gas industry here, cook with firewood. Delhi buses may run on CNG extracted here, but here buses run on polluting diesel.

Industrial activity will bring wealth, resources and opportunities. But along with these, it also brings ecological disaster, displacement of local population, turning farmers into migrant labour and so on. Whereas the wealth, opportunities and resources are enjoyed elsewhere, the misery is faced by the local population alone for whom no tears are shed. Fishermen are one of the worst sufferers. High seas braved by them for centuries are no longer open to them.

Oil/Gas exploration and extraction is a highly complex activity where only very highly skilled people can be employed and what with automization, least labour employing. But it guzzles thousands of acres of land. What is the fate of these marginal farmers, farm labour, fishermen? Migration to urban ghettos? Slavery in Gulf? Social unrest?

…ponder