MARGAO: Strongly pushing for the Centre’s draft notification of the ecologically sensitive area (ESA) in the Western Ghats, environmentalists and social warriors have alleged that a very dangerous and unethical conspiracy is being played out by rich corporates to fool the innocent people of Goa into hating the proposed notification by spreading false propaganda.
The draft notification proposes to declare 99 villages as ecologically sensitive areas in three talukas of the Western Ghats.
Speaking to Herald, several social warriors also claimed that none of the activities of tribals and other local communities are prohibited or regulated in the draft notification. They have challenged Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on the notification to show any provision of the notification impeding the activities, lives or development of tribals and other locals, failing which they must apologise or be punished.
Recently, the Forest Minister had said that he wasn’t accepting the draft notification that proposed to declare 99 villages as ESA in three talukas of the Western Ghats.
“The government will demand removal of 99 villages of Goa from Centre’s draft notification of the ESA in the Western Ghats," he said recently.
Rane further said that neighbouring Karnataka had also raised objections to the draft notification and reiterated his demand to exclude 99 villages of the State from the draft notification. "The people residing in these villages are restless by the draft notification," he said.
Abhijit Prabhudesai, of green NGO Rainbow Warriors, told Herald that this conspiracy had unfolded on Nov 12, when UTAA started "the saga of lies" by publicly announcing that Western Ghats ESAs are a threat to the tribals, followed by synchronized actions of other agents of Goa's enemies
He further said that none of the activities of tribals and other local communities is prohibited or regulated. Local residents and authorities can freely carry out normal activities, like construction, agriculture, industries, road construction, tree felling, tourism, etc, while the destructive greed of corporates is prohibited.
Environmentalists backing the notification of villages under eco-sensitive zones reiterate that it’s extremely important that the truth is spread and the informed citizens of Goa ask every Goan village to be included in the Western Ghats ESA, so that the locals are protected and the greed of corporates is controlled.
Stating that people of Loliem-Canacona won’t allow removal of their village from ESA, Denis Fernandes told Herald that Loliem is a highly eco-sensitive village. People of Loliem have already written to MOEF to include the village in the eco-sensitive area of the Western Ghats with adequate reasons and evidence.
“The land sharks who have bought huge areas of forest and eco-sensitive lands want to destroy our village with large projects which are prohibited in ESAs of the Western Ghats. But the villagers will never let it happen and will always fight for the survival of the future generations”, he pledged.
Diana Tavares, another social warrior, challenged the Minister and others to show any provision of the notification impeding the activities, lives or development of tribals and other locals.
"It is most important that not just 99 villages, but all of Goa is identified as an Ecologically Sensitive Area of the Western Ghats. The ongoing false propaganda by tribal leaders and the Forest Minister are despicable acts of betrayal, which are also anti-national and seditious, deserving exemplary punishment", she stated.
Agreeing the same Ramiro Mascarenhas said that the Goa government's objection to the inclusion of 99 villages in the Western Ghats draft ESA citing grave injustice to villagers and Goa state doesn't seem to be genuine looking at their past track record of environment protection in the state of Goa.