CORTALIM
The Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) has strongly criticised the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for only suggesting projects that are out to destroy the existing marine ecology.
“In the name of development, the government of the day has been proposing projects like sea planes, deep dredging for expansion of sea ports, marinas, etc, which are devastatingly destructive in nature. Isn’t the government happy with destroying land that it needs to move towards destroying the seabed too? Where is the sustainable development promised by the BJP,” questioned GRE President Agnelo Rodrigues.
GRE Joint General Secretary and the Secretary of National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) Olencio Simoes accused the Central government of looting the State and the country of its marine environment through haphazard plans of development.
“The National Waterways Bill, 2015 states that 111 rivers in the country, of which 6 rivers in the Goa (Mandovi, Zuari, Chapora, Mapusa, Cumbharjua and Sal) will be developed for the purpose of inland waterways. In order to make way for inland waterways deep dredging will be conducted on all of the 111 rivers.”
“Dredging of these rivers have not been conducted for several years, it is but common sense that unsustainable and sudden dredging will lead to collapse of the river bed holding these rivers thereby leading to water-logging of all low-lying areas surrounding the river, besides completely destroying corals, sea weeds and other marine ecology, collapse of mangroves etc.”
“Experts like Dr Antonio Mascarenhas at the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has already warned the government against deep dredging proposed by Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) which will only further aggravate sand erosion which will cause drastic morphological changes within the estuary and also lead to washing away of the entire area of Sancoale, Chicalim, Baina.”
“How can a Government who claims to believe in sustainable development propose such kind of destructive plans without first conducting a comprehensive study,” questioned Simoes.
Simoes further added: “About 20% of the 105 km of Goa’s coastline has already been affected by erosion. Apart from our beaches, the Colvale area in North Goa and River Talpona in South Goa has already seen shattering erosion last monsoon. Heavy sand mining, constructions along the coast, destruction of natural vegetation etc. are some of the reason of such destruction.”
“We fear a Chennai flood-like situation with this unsustainable dredging. When will the Government stop taking the environment for granted and put serious thought into sustainable development?”
GRE has accused Gadkari of trying to campaign for marinas, floating jetties, seaplanes and expansion of shipbuilding yards in Goa by taking Goa’s environment and people for granted, despite being opposed by the people of the Goa and also by some ruling MLAs, stated Olencio Simoes.
