One of the few good things that the Centre is proposing for Goa is declaring 108 villages spread over 1,461 sq km as Eco Sensitive Areas (ESA). In light of the natural disasters recently witnessed in Wayanad, Himachal and Uttarakhand this move should be lauded and implemented post haste. But this has not found favour with the real estate lobby and as a corollary with the state government, both of whom are busy ravaging Goa and selling it to the highest bidder. Once a village is declared an ESA, no construction of a permanent nature will be permitted, there will be restrictions on supposed 'development' too. An alarmed CM was quick off the block stating that there was no need to panic on the Centre's draft notification and that he was hopeful that some villages will be dropped from being declared as ESA. It is for all to see how Goa has been destroyed by the building mafia in collusion with the sarkari babus and mantris. Public spirited citizens, NGOs and civil society at large should oppose tooth and nail this move of the state government to drop 47 villages from being declared ESA.
