Over 300 local residents from villages skirting the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mollem National Park of Goa have written a letter to the Minister of Environment Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar, addressing concerns and questions with respect to the three linear projects and the future of the people of Goa. Earlier this month, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had stated that ‘those opposing Mollem projects are abroad’, and had dismissed the efforts and concerns raised by the students and local residents of Goa.
In the letter the distressed locals wrote, “We are the local guardians of the land and biodiversity within this area. We are troubled by the fact that the forest land being cleared for three major projects has been approved virtually by the National Board for Wildlife during the national lockdown without giving any importance or consideration to the opinions of the locals that live in close proximity to these forests. In fact, our villages were not even informed about the projects in the early stages. We would like to bring to your notice that the felling of 59,024 trees and clearing of 250.285 hectares of pristine forest land will have a negative impact on our livelihoods, sustenance and cultural identity.”
Anita Carvalho from Ponda says, “I oppose Mollem destruction. Save our Goa from environmental destruction. We can’t lose our forests, it's greenery. We need to save our wild life. Stop the three projects which are not necessary. We cannot allow the government to clear these forests under the banner of development.”
The letter highlights the consequences caused by mining and mismanagement of resources by mining companies in the past affecting agricultural communities and livestock. “A significant proportion of the communities in our villages have been practicing agriculture for years together. However, in the last few decades, most fields have gone fallow as the soil is no longer suitable for cultivation. This was a result of the mismanagement by mining companies due to which residue has accumulated in the low-lying areas thus altering the soil’s property and the hydrology. Recently we have witnessed a decline in the quality and quantity of water which can also be attributed to destruction caused to the forest land and mismanagement of mining discharge in the past. Right now, most households are dependent on Public Water Supply which is not at all efficient in our area thus causing hardships,” the signatories wrote.
They further added, “Although mining provided employment to a lot of the locals here, it caused irreversible damage to our once productive landscape. People who lost their jobs due to the mining ban could have returned to their traditional occupations, but they were no longer able to cultivate their fields. The Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged the orientation of people worldwide towards self-employment and self-sustenance, but we cannot return to farming in these times all because we allowed detrimental activities in our areas. Disturbances caused to forests in the past have led to increased cases of crops and livestock being attacked by wild animals and insect pests. We do not want to repeat the same mistake and amplify our already existing woes by letting the authorities destroy our forests further.”
“Mollem must stay, these projects must move elsewhere. We simply cannot afford the ecological loss of natural wealth they entail,” Socorro based Karan Manral expressed. The letter also highlighted the interconnectedness and dependency between these forests and various communities, acquiring, refining and passing on knowledge about the forests for generations.
“The Dhangars or Gavali - one of the oldest tribal communities of the world, live in close proximity to the forests, they share an intricate relationship with these ecosystems largely depending on it for food, medicines, firewood, and other forest produce like honey. Forest undergrowth also provides a grazing source for the livestock owned by the Dhangars, who are primarily herders. They have been sustainably using these forest resources ensuring minimal disturbance to the ecosystem. Velips are yet another tribal community that share a close-knit connection with the natural resources of Mollem. A number of rare plants found in the forests form a part of our seasonal diets, our cultures, our rituals and all these resources are highly threatened by these non-eco-centric development projects in our ecologically sensitive protected area,” said the letter. Citizens also expressed anguish with respect to the lack of clarity on the project clearances.
“We were not even aware when our trees were marked for the laying of LILO transmission lines. What is the risk of accidents and health hazard potential with heavy towers and strong electric and magnetic fields associated with the transmission lines, we don’t even know? Expansion of highways and railways would increase accident rates both in livestock and humans. They would disturb the integrity of our villages by letting in unwanted miscreants and disturbances. It is an utter shame that our natural resource rich forests are extremely underrated and treated as mere corridors for larger economic and infrastructural projects which are of absolutely no help to our villages,” says the letter.
The letter urged the chief minister, National Board for Wildlife, State government and High Court to represent people’s voices, revoke the clearances of these three projects and help save forests which will sustain generations to come.
