MARGAO
The Rainbow Warriors on Monday asserted that the people of Goa, not the NGOs, have been valiantly defending the state from the greed of the few.
In fact, the Rainbow Warriors have warned that the people of Goa will rise to the occasion and do all that is necessary to save the children and the planet, for tomorrow will be too late if the governments of this world do not change their ways.
Referring to the Chief Minister’s statement, criticising NGOs for opposing every government project, Rainbow Warriors questioned the government as to why is it not taking the consent of the people before deciding on its projects?
The NGO further questioned: Why is the government lying to the people, like claiming that the double-tracking is for vegetables, tourists and the Navy (exposed to lies by the SC orders), or concealing all information and refusing to consult the people, even in grave matters like National Waterways Act, Major Ports Authority Act, Sagarmala Project, Communidade Code amendment, Mopa Airport, 3 linear projects etc? Why is the govt not transparent with its intentions and information, and why does it not obtain prior consent of the Gram Sabhas for all its decisions?
Diana Tavares, Abhijit Prabhuesai and Naresh Gaude said the decisions and projects of every government have been against the people for many years now. “The result is not just massive financial debts and increasing burden on the citizens, or catastrophic destruction of our hills, forests, plateaus, water resources, khazan, etc, or collapse of science, communities, social security, mental and physical health and other social sectors, but also the real possibility of extinction of our species due to the grave threats of climate crisis, resource depletion and ecological collapse,” they said.
They further pointed out that the people’s decisions are always for the betterment of the future generations, while the government is blinded by the short-term profits of a few, placing our children’s lives in jeopardy.
“The government’s past decisions have led us to the verge of irreversible collapse of civilisation, proving today that the people’s decisions and resistance were always right. Therefore, we demand that the government must first admit that its policies and decisions have been wrong and are responsible for the grave dangers we have created for ourselves, and everyone else. The government of this world, starting with our ‘Mandkulem Goem’, have to stop all projects that are opposed by the people, consult and listen to the people, and give up their blind worship of status, greed and destruction, disguised under profit, development or any other name,” they demanded.
