Goa, Dec. 29 -- ROHIT SINHA

Across Goa, citizen-led protests are becom ing more frequent and more visible. They cut across villages and towns, political loyalties and social groups. A project is announced, notices are issued, consultations are held, and yet resistance fol lows. Each time, it is tempting to see these protests as isolated flare-ups or as knee-jerk opposition to change. Taken together, however, they point to a pattern that deserves closer attention. This pattern is often described, somewhat dismissively, as NIMBYism. "Not In My Backyard" is a term used to describe residents who oppose developments they find undesirable when these are proposed near them, even if they accept such pro jects in principle elsewhere. Waste facili...