The recent announcements on free water, taxi meters, compensation for Covid-19 deaths, seafarers’ pension, reviewing Bhumiputra Bill, employment, door to door meet, etc. One wonders, why these free ‘tiatr tickets’ on offer as election is nearing!
Goa has seen a systematic destruction of trees with bypassing of regulations of the Goa's Preservation of Trees Act, 1984. Thousands of trees at the Mollem National Park and the Mopa airport site, both with hastily passed environment clearances facing the axe.
On the other hand, the Forest Department of Goa and the FSI have made it easier for town planning authorities to grant permissions for projects in the forest. Some linear projects and development have killed the natural springs, around which most villages are based. The illegal destruction of trees and forest have severely impacted the water table in most areas..
Look at Cotigao - Canacona, it is not an uncommon sight to see women of the village lining up in front of the water tankers, villagers have been facing an acute water shortage. None can forget the axing of some 200-year-old mango trees along the highway at Colvale, even after the existing government’s assurance.
