Environmentalists, ecologists and NGOs should begin a mass awareness campaign so that the Centre’s recommendation that 108 ecologically sensitive areas in Goa, including 64 villages in North Goa and 44 villages in South Goa, encompassing an area of 1,461 square kilometres, should be designated in Goa.
Also, all the relevant panchayats should pass resolutions that ESAs within their jurisdiction should be protected so that the flora and fauna, which in the past decade have been considerably reduced, are preserved, as the people of Goa are very sensitive about the protection of the environment. It is pertinent to note that Goa has undergone maximum concretisation, and it is time to put a full stop to further degradation of our nature-endowed ecology. Suffice to say that for the promotion of tourism, it is imperative that Goa’s natural bounty is maintained. A referendum-like verdict of the people of Goa should be the determining factor as far as protecting our natural beauty in perfect harmony is concerned. So far, despite deterioration in recent times, the harmful effects of interference with the ecology have not led to severe consequences, and Goans must do everything in their power to maintain ecological balance.
