Shifting Economy

Over the years from 1985 to 2023, Divar Island in Goa has undergone a remarkable economic shift, from a primary to a tertiary line of business. Initially, it was a landscape dominated by paddy field agriculture. Due to ill maintenance of the bunds and soil becoming brittle, crabs punctured the bunds at various places, which, along with the water pressure from the estuary, led to the flooding of the site, destroying the harvest in its entirety. After which the site was defunct, until it was acquired by KNR Construction’s MD for privatized use. He got the bunds rebuilt and repaired, fields dug deeper, transforming them into ponds for ‘Tiger Prawn’ cultivation. After 5 years of successful ‘Tiger Prawn’ cultivation cycles, similarly as the past, the bunds were not maintained, leading to another episode of flooding as the water levels increased by 2m. Leading to the site again being inoperative. After 3 years, the site was revived, overgrowth burned, ponds prepped, bunds repaired and reinforced, main bund wall reconstructed with concrete, fenced all over. Even the wooden sluice gate, which had broken in the last flood, was replaced with an iron one. This all led to the transition from prawn cultivation to sea bass/chunak fish breeding, which is currently going on at site.