PANAJI
Campaigners who over the last five months have launched a sustained movement against the proposed three projects in and around the Mollem National Park and the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary reacted angrily to Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar's claim that no representation had come to him in writing.
"Javadekar's statement has left Goans wondering whether the Union Minister reads his official correspondence," said a press release issued by the 'Save Mollem' collective.
Over the last 4 months, thousands of Goans have written to the minister objecting to the projects, it said.
"This is very disheartening. Over 400 students signed a letter citing the One Health concept and how deforestation cause zoonotic diseases to rise. The State and Centre should give us an alternative method to communicate with the authorities,’ the release quoted MBBS student Mithila Prabhudesai as saying.
The letter by students is one of multiple that were sent to Javadekar.
Scientists, teachers, artists, architects, lawyers, small business owners, travel and tourism stakeholders, besides school and college students have all written to the Union Environment Minister.
It also quotes Panaji-based wildlife biologist, Nandini Velho as saying: "I was one of 150 scientists and allied practitioners who wrote to the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) of which Mr Javadekar is the Chairperson. The state and Centre cannot go ahead and make decisions on behalf of the people that are neither based on science, nor take into consideration the concerns of citizens.’
Javadekar’s ignorance also comes as a surprise after Goa Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral has assured citizens in early September that he would write to the Union minister regarding the Mollem projects. Cabral had promised to write to Javadekar at a webinar hosted by Rotary Club of Panaji.
Goencho Evkott also condemned the denial by MoEFCC Prakash Javadekar about not receiving any representation against the three destructive projects through Mollem and through pristine villages.
