MARGAO
Noted environmental activist Diana Tavares, who was the face of many an agitation over a decade and half, has passed away on Friday after a brief illness.
Hailing from Rachol village, Tavares has been a prominent face in almost every movement and agitation the State has witnessed over the last 15 years – right from the save Dabolim airport stir, to opposing river nationalisation to double tracking and coal transportation.
Environmental activist Abhijit Prabhudesai informed that Tavares was closely involved in almost all the agitations the State witnessed over the last decade and half.
“She was an active member of the ‘Save Dabolim’ movement. She was a founder member of the Rainbow Warriors, which pursued the Dabolim airport issue to the higher judiciary. She was instrumental in getting experts from Pune to conduct a study of the Mopa plateau,” Prabhudesai said.
Tavares was a prominent face of the Goyant Kollso Naka agitation. She was one of the social activists,
who was booked by the police for participation in the historic Chandor midnight agitation.
“From April 2012 till date, Diana worked 24x7 for Goa, without a single day off. Her dedication and efforts are unrivalled in the history of environmental and social struggle of Goa. Her courage, knowledge and belief in people’s power was the backbone of most movements in the last decade. We will sorely miss her,” Prabhudesai added.
