the goan I network
MARGAO
The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday said the once pristine waters of river Sal are now fully covered with weeds, plastics, and sewage that has changed the complexion of the water into one that emits constant bad odour reducing it to one big gutter.
Describing it as ‘dying Sal’, AAP volunteers in large numbers gathered along the banks of the river as early as 6.30 am at ‘Vakari’ on the Benaulim-Varca Road on the occasion of World Environment Day. AAP volunteers also carried out what was called ‘seed bombing’ by making mud balls with seeds of various trees and scattering them in open spaces along the river. Later, the volunteers assembled at the Khareband bridge that runs over river Sal holding placards on environmental themes.
Party chief Elvis Gomes said that AAP Goa was concerned about the overall health of the environment with successive governments only interested in destroying it for the sake of the interests of the corporates. He deplored the state of the river with garbage and weeds choking the free flow of the water. “The odour reminds one of the Mithi river between Bandra and Mahim in Mumbai. We are now competing with them. The degradation of the river is a reflection of the quality of governance in the state and the falling standards of consciousness towards the environment. For AAP, environment protection is high on the agenda,” sad Elvis.
Sidharth Karapurkar, Solon Furtado and other party leaders also addressed the volunteers and vowed to continue the fight for environment.
