PANAJI
Even as protests against the proposed projects in and around protected forests of Mollem National Park echoed, the State government reviewed one of these -- the Goa Tanmar Power Transmission project.
Power Minister Nilesh Cabral and PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar who represent Mollem, went into a huddle with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and examined the project's paper work.
Both Cabral and Pauskar have over the last week engaged with people in Mollem and have faced aggressive arguments from sections opposed to the project.
The project involves construction of a 220kv sub-station at Mollem and laying of 400kv power transmission lines over multiple stretches of about 240 kilometers.
The bone of contention is that a chunk of the project cuts through the Mollem National Park and involves felling of thousands of forest trees.
It is one of the three Goa projects among dozens nationwide which were dubiously granted the nod by the National Board for Wildlife sans adequate discussion in a meeting held via video-conferencing mode during the national lockdown.
The board drew flak from eminent wildlife researchers and environmentalists for its cavalier act of permitting these projects despite the potential damage they will cause to wildlife and fragile ecosystems.
