the goan I network
OLD GOA
Hundreds of villagers from Odxel, Siridao, Cacra, Goa Velha, Agassaim, Santa Cruz, Chimbel and various other parts of Goa participated in the meeting against the proposed marina project, at Nauxim on Tuesday, as voices against the marina continue to grow by the passing day.
The meeting, which was originally planned near the Dr Shyamaprasad Mukherjee stadium was shifted to Nauxim at the last moment as the organizers informed that they received calls from the Collector’s office as well as the police to shift the venue as the government was in the process of postponing the November 2 public hearing on the marina project.
Social workers, activists, sarpanchas, panchas, politicians remained present for the meeting as the agitation appears to be snowballing into a statewide agitation to save the shores of Goa from destruction.
Among those present included Olencio Simoes, Tara Kerkar, Luke Roshan Mathias, Cecille Rodrigues, GPCC president Girish Chodankar, SC advocate Srinivas, St Andre MLA Francisco Silveira, Adv Suresh Palkar, activist Rama Kankonkar, activist Arturo D’Souza, Prof Ramrao Wagh, traditional fishermen leader Sanjay Faterperkar, GAKUVED representative Ramkrishna, Curca sarpanch Verodiana, Azossim-Mandur sarpanch Ajit Bacal, Goa Velha sarpanch Ruth, Agassaim sarpanch Xavier, and many others.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Ramrao Wagh outlined why the meeting was shifted to Nauxim instead of the original venue.
“Our delegation met the chief minister yesterday in which we were given assurance that the public hearing would be postponed. But we have not yet received any official communication in this regard,” Wagh stated while informing that the organizers went ahead with the meeting despite the assurance as the public needed to know about the dialogue that took place between the delegation and the chief minister.
“Even though the hearing has been postponed, our fight is not over. Our demand is clear “ that the public hearing be cancelled and the project scrapped,” Wagh informed while stating that people should be prepared for the worst in the fight to scrap the project.
General secretary of Goenchea Ramponkaracho Ekvott (GRE), Olencio Simoes stated that the marina project is part of a greater Sagarmala project and it includes port expansion, coal expansion, and other activities which will lead to the destruction of Goa’s shores.
“MPT today has become a private entity and is run by private companies who are out to destroy Goa without any concern for the environment,” Simoes alleged.
He also stated that the marina will require over 2 lakh litres of water per day.
“We ourselves do not have proper drinking water. Imagine what will happen if our water is diverted for this marina,” he asked, adding, “Also the report says that 1 tonne of garbage would be generated on a daily basis at the marina. Where will this garbage go?”
“In all of India, only 400 yachts are registered, then why is there a need for such a big marina and for whose benefit?” he asked.
Santa Cruz activist Arturo D’Souza informed that in the baseline report, it shows that there are 66 species of fishes whereas the ICAR report states that there are over 200 species of fishes.
“The baseline is a copy paste job,” he alleged while stating that the census report is of 2005.
Activist Rama Kankonkar demanded that the local MLA Francisco Silveira should withdraw his support to the BJP government if the marina project is not scrapped.
“Our demand is not of postponement of the public hearing but scrapping of the same along with the marina project,” he added while stating that they had planned to block the national highway which was kept on hold due to the assurance given by the CM.
Tara Kerkar, Aruna Wagh, Ramkrishna, Curca panchas Gautam Naik and Krishna Kankonkar, Sanjay Faterpekar, senior citizen Datta Palkar, poet Sunil Palkar and others also spoke on the occasion.
