To submit memorandum for inspecting contentious projects passing through state’s fragile wildlife cover
MARGAO
Asserting that the three linear projects will cause extensive damage to Goa’s environment and economy, various organizations under the banner of “Goenkar – Ek Pavl Ekcharachem” have made a fervent plea to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to take into consideration the scientific evidence, ground realities and peoples’ concerns and objections against these anti-people and anti-environment projects.
Representatives said they would present a memorandum to the CEC to inspect the contentious projects passing through the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mollem National Park, pointing out they would impress upon the CEC how officials of various authorities, including the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), Forests, etc are acting in connivance with the crony capitalists to destroy Goa and its environment.
At a media briefing, Capt Viriato Fernandes said the organisations would be presenting the CEC with a memorandum explaining the entire conspiracy and irreversible implications on the state and its people as these projects are meant in reality to benefit only a few crony capitalists for coal transportation.
“We will request the CEC to consider the largescale, united opposition to these projects by environmentalists, scientists, youth, students, and concerned citizens, including politicians, cutting across party lines,” he added.
“There have been major deviations from standard procedures and laid down rules and regulations in active connivance and compromise by agencies like the Conservator of Forests, officials from the Ministry of Environment, officials from the state electricity department, Goa State Pollution Control Board, etc under pressure from crony capitalists. This will eventually lead to the damage and destruction of the forests which are the lungs that sustain Goa. It will also destroy Goa’s last surviving industry of tourism that is based upon its natural beauty,” he added.
He said it is distressing that our beautiful state is being destroyed by the state government just to fulfill the vested interests and profit motives of a few crony capitalists for coal transportation.
Activist Vikas Bhagat emphasized that besides destroying the environment, the double-tracking of the South Western Railways will also affect the health of citizens with serious lung-related problems, cancer, coronary diseases, brain diseases, etc triggered by the imminent largescale pollution caused by the fugitive coal dust flying from trains during coal transportation as also from trucks carrying coal via national highways.
As a result, lakhs of people dependent on the tourism sector will eventually lose their livelihood as tourists will start avoiding coal-polluted Goa, he added.
He pointed out the local government has been relentlessly pushing for the 400 KV transmission line against the dictates of logic and sound reasoning. “This project will call for felling of thousands of trees, thus causing massive destruction to the protected Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mollem National Park,” he said.
Bhagat said the flip flop by the state government and particularly by the Minister for Power in justifying the requirement of the transmission line for additional power generation contradicts earlier claims about Goa having surplus power of 400 MW, which has been backed by facts and figures from the department of power, thus raising grave doubts about the real intention concerning the project and the blatant contradictions and seeming falsehoods that are being dished out to justify the fictitious shortfall in power.
Jayesh Shetgaonkar alleged there was a hidden agenda by the government in the Sagarmala project, which was solely meant to help
crony capitalists in setting up an exclusive economic corridor for coal transportation and other hazardous cargo that would destroy the livelihood of fishermen.
