THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
Ajit John
I was born in Mollem and grew up roaming in the thick forests grazing cattle during my childhood and then spending years in metro cities like Chennai, Bangalore for studies. Seeing man-made concrete jungles helped me realise the same thing was happening to my Mollem. It inspired me to raise my voice.
Well, it’s my father who inspired me to fight for the environment. He took up the job of making sure Siolim remains clean by organising many waste management talks and garbage collection drives. He has been telling me right from the start that you children have so much potential and fire within you that you have to take up the fight of saving this environment and preserving it for the future generations and he said to do it in your own way whether it is singing or art or dance.
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” - Robert Swann
The statement above has been my greatest inspiration to begin the journey to fight and save the environment. Working closely with intellectuals and nature lovers has added fuel to my spark which has turned into a fire of passion to continue fighting for the environment and to save my future.
When I got talking with one of my botany professors, Dr. Fr. Bolmax, told me about how Chicalim youth were raising their voice against some harmful projects in Goa which involved cutting thousands of trees, it really made me question myself, Why am I sitting quietly? If not me then who? That was the moment I decided to be a part to save our environment along with such dashing youths who all come as one for the greenery of Goa.
Today I realise how important is our environment to us, because in such a pandemic we have seen that money can’t buy enough oxygen, people are just losing their lives due to shortage of oxygen so we need our source of oxygen, our nature to support us I feel proud to stand for our environment n support sustainable development. ‘Either now or never’.
Witnessing mass deforestation on a large scale in the name of greed and power at a rapid rate leaves me heartbroken. By taking on the role of an environmental warrior, makes me feel very proud because it means that I am a voice to the voiceless. As we celebrated World Environment Day this year we have planted 50 saplings in the Aldona Constituency. I have always worked towards the betterment of my environment and I will continue to do so with utmost zeal and passion.
- Matheson Solomon Miranda, Environmental warrior
