PANJIM: In a clarion call to the people of Goa to remain united in their fight to save Goa against the ongoing destruction, Green Goa, a collective of environmental activists, on Saturday slammed the State government for ignoring environmental concerns of the State and demanded that the projects causing environment destruction be stopped immediately.
Prajal Sakhardande, Historian, said, “We have come here to give a clarion call to all Goans to unite and appeal to the government to stop the ongoing destruction of the State.”
“We cannot tolerate Mother Goa being desecrated at this rate. For whom are all projects coming up in the State? It is certainly not for the Goans,” Sakhardande, who is also a heritage activist , said, while addressing a press conference in the city.
“Question is how many people can come and settle in a small State like Goa. There are so many big bungalows coming up in the State. Goa has become a fertile place where people from outside are coming and settling because they have a lot of money with which they can buy a second home in Goa. Having a second home in the State is a matter of pride for them but in the process Goans are being destroyed. It is not about outsider or insider, it is the issue of capacity of the State,” he said.
Former Minister and Mhadei Bachao Abhiyan (MBA) convenor Nirmala Sawant alleged that while at one hand the Goa government is framing an agriculture policy but on the other, precious lands of the State are being sold.
Sawant demanded that small farmers be provided facilities like cold storage, harvesting and marketing facilities.
Former minister Alina Saldanha said it is very sad that Goa is on the verge of destruction due to projects like doubling of railway tracks.
“We have been asking the government not to bring such types of projects but the elected government is refusing to do anything to stop the project. Take the case of the doubling of the South Western Railway track. We already have one track for which land was given by the people of villages of South Goa. Now where is the second track going to land? The second track will literally land on, in some cases the compound wall of a house, inside the compound wall and in one case it would be landing on the verandah of a house. Now will the people of those houses be able to live? There would be vibrations due to running of trains and there is fear that these houses would not be able to withstand those vibrations. Government is running the people of Goa who have elected it,” she said.
Alina alleged that the government is literally throwing people of Goa out of their houses.
“What about the pollution caused by the coal dust which will destroy not only water bodies but also our lives. The government has been told to stop such types of projects as Goa is the tiniest State in the country. Why is the government so determined because it wants to help the steel plants in Karnataka? Mind you Karnataka, in spite of having 12 minor ports and one major port, is not interested in having coal reaching through the ports. Coal of Adani is to be taken to Karnataka but Karnataka does not want to pollute its waters,” she said.
The former Minister said the entire State would be affected by the so-called development of the State.
Social activist Pratima Coutinho expressed surprise over the existence of the alleged illegal bungalow at Old Goa in spite of orders to demolish it.
“I do not know why the Goa government is dancing to the tunes of the Delhi leaders. Still the bungalow exists and local BJP leaders are busy in keeping Delhi leaders happy,” she said.
Coutinho also pointed out permission accorded by the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board to an eco-tourism project at Old Goa.
“It is not surprising that the project has been given the green signal as IPB is under the chief minister himself. Lots of trees are expected to be cut for the project but the government is not concerned. It is playing with the heritage structures of the State,” she said.
Environmental activist Tanuj Adwalpalkar said there is an immediate need to decrease carbon footprint in the State. The government is pushing for projects like Sagarmala because it has to please owners of steel plants in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
“The government has been elected by the people but it is working for only those who are rich and affluent. We just want the government to work for the people,’’ he said.
Adwalpalkar pointed out that in spite of the court declaring Sirsaim as an eco-sensitive zone, MRF has planned to establish a garbage development plant.