OUR PERSON OF 2015

Herald picks Claude Alvares as its person for the year, for his almost singlehanded fight to rid Goa of the scourge of illegal mining and offer solutions where industry can meet environment in a manner controlled by the people and government. But he hasn’t quite stopped at just that and has been a one man fighter squad in Tiracol, Tuem, Saligao & Mandovi
OUR PERSON OF 2015
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In its 115 year history, your newspaper has attempted to be an accurate informer, a passionate friend and an objective analyst. But the role it has enjoyed the most is that that of a fighter and an activist for the cause of the people. It’s an adage it wears proudly on its sleeve. But no activism is possible unless there are other activists fighting on the streets and in the Courts, willing to give up all notions of self for the singular cause of the land he or she lives in. And starting this year Herald, through a process which has lasted almost two months and conducted without fuss but with utmost scrutiny, will pick a person living in Goa, who has fought for a better Goa, with no purpose or gratification other than love for the land. More importantly, the person in his or her path of work should have not just identified problems but offered solutions for a better, sustainable Goa.

HERALD’S PERSON OF THE YEAR 2015 IS CLAUDE ALVARES, DIRECTOR GOA FOUNDATION

FOR His writ petition in the Supreme Court against illegal mining which paved the way for all mining illegalities, pointed out by the Supreme Court since 2007 to cease

FOR his efforts which brought the judgement of his writ petition and paved the way of auctioning of iron ore and a final potential earning of Rs 1000 crores or even more, through auctions, when all 15 million tons of ore lying on the ground is exhausted

FOR bringing to halt the state sponsored open loot and plunder of Goa’s environment and resources. The after affects of mining stoppage, which mine owners refuse to accept is a better environment, increased green cover in and around mining areas, better air quality and proven findings by the Agriculture department of more hands returning to till the soil leading to a farming revival.

A Survey of Environmental & Socio-Economic Impacts of Interim Ban on Mining in Goa, by ERC, an prestigious EIA watchdog reveals

(a) Decrease in air, water and noise pollution

(b) Revival of rivers and wetlands

(c) Positive effects on vegetation, plantations and agricultural fields

(d) Increase in wildlife sightings

FOR not buckling down to a nervous government’s backlash and threat to investigate his Goa Foundation’s source of funding, as an angry reaction to him going to  the Supreme Court against for the manner in which 88 leases were renewed, the same leases whose operations were declared illegal by the Supreme Court

FOR reaching out and lending a hand and then his full body and soul for the beleaguered villagers of Tiracol fighting against the Leading Hotels Golf Course and Villa project, and the Tiracol bridge being built by the government exclusively for the Leading Hotels under the garb that it would benefit the villagers

FOR going to court against the construction of the third Mandovi bridge because a proper and credible Environment Impact Assessment has not been done  And because the bridge plan will destroy the fragile mangroves in a hyper sensitive ecological spot

FOR going to court to protect you, the tax payer, from ultimately paying Rs 400 crores for the garbage treatment plant in Saligao and because the people of Saligao have been fooled into believing  that this is just for their village when the quantum will be much more.

And above all FOR being consistent, whether  on the issue of him saying that a permanent Goenchi Mati permanent fund will give money in the hands of all Goans if the state takes control of  its mineral wealth as a trustee of the people or saying that in Tuem, you cannot have an electronic city by forcibly taking land from the people without their consent or converting pristine agricultural land for industry when none of the two Regional Plans (2001 and 2021) allow it. He has consistency advocated rules of law and environment as opposed to the government of Parrikar and Parsekar who have violated them. The same political forces, like Parrikar, who used him when in opposition, are now vilifying him for stopping projects.

Claude Alvares is our PERSON OF THE YEAR for all of the above and not because he has stopped projects. But because he has fought to stop Goa’s loot.

Herald Goa
www.heraldgoa.in