PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday urged journalists to be cautious when reporting on issues related to the environment and tourism as adverse propaganda in these two areas can damage and cause loss to the State.
"I have no issues when you write anything about politics. But on tourism and the environment the news gets disseminated across the world and can cause damage and loss to the State," Sawant said addressing an audience comprising mostly journalists.
He was delivering his address as chief guest at the National Press Day held to commemorate the foundation day of the Press Council of India.
Goa has in recent months hit the headlines over three Centre-sponsored projects which are facing stiff resistance from greens, students and youth.
Opposition political parties and a cross section of civil society organisations have also joined the agitation and allege the projects have potential to cause irreversible damage to protected forests in and around the Mollem National Park and Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.
The projects - doubling of the tracks of South Western Railways, four-laning of a national highway and laying of high tension power lines - - have triggered a high pitch agitation as they are feared to cumulatively contribute to establishing a hub for coal transportation between MPT and North Karnataka.
Sawant has in recent weeks been engaged in an exercise to convince the local population that his government will not permit a coal hub but has achieved little success if any.
The agitation is swelling by the day and gaining national attention through social media campaigns.
