FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Rohan A. Khaunte
When the entire State of Goa is against coal and every Goenkar is fighting to #SaveMollem it’s beyond understanding how a CM can be so stubbornly opposed to people’s stand. Let it be understood that Goans will not tolerate this Anti-Nature & Anti-Goemkarponn of @CMpramodpsawant.
Agitation of Nature loving Goans to protect the Mollem Biodiversity has gained full momentum as an entire population stands up against the destruction of Mother Nature.
Development and Nature rarely go hand in hand and now every country is giving priority to the Preservation of whatever Nature is left. People and countries have realised their follies after losing healthy habitats to indiscriminate destruction of our natural environment in the name of development.
Much has been said by laymen and experts on the adverse effects of the three Infra Projects on the Mollem Biodiversity. Not just Goans but the entire country has understood the significance of this struggle to save Mollem and yet our own State Government headed by Dr Pramod Sawant seems to be blatantly opposed to the people’s agitation against coal and for the preservation of Mollem. Can’t the CM take a cue from the growing dissent within his own Cabinet? When his own Cabinet members can hear the People’s Voices it’s surprising that the CM has stuffed coal in his ears!
This stubborn stand against an entire population by its own CM and Govt is beyond comprehension. Goa is still a part of Democratic India where the Government is Of, By and For the People so where does this arrogance of CM Pramod Sawant and his ministers stem from?
How do they dare to oppose the people’s will unless of course they have come to believe that Goa is their autocratic fiefdom with Dr Pramod Sawant as their Stalinist dictator.
The chief minister of Goa is bound by duty to the well-being of people of Goa and if Goans feel that the three Mollem infra projects are not in favour of Goans well-being then the CM should scrap them forthwith. Instead, he’s trying to appease the Centre and Karnataka, who in turn have their allegiance to the Power Corporations.
Dissent within the Cabinet is overwhelming and every elected representative has realised that they should be the voice of the people who elected them. Somehow this simple democratic principle is not understood by Dr Pramod Sawant and some party bigwigs who consider themselves above the people’s power. Such arrogance has always bitten dust when people show them their true place.
If the infra projects were in favour of the Goan milieu, there wouldn’t have been such all out opposition. Every Goan knows the real agenda and beneficiaries of these infra projects and that Goa only stands to lose its natural environment, hence the people’s protests. Now it’s for the Goa Government to decide if it’s truly Of, For & By the People failing which the people will decide!
