The theme for World Environment Day 2019 set by the United Nations Environment Programme for
awareness and action in India is Air Pollution. But the residents in the
surrounding areas of the Sonsodo landfill will have an interesting story to
tell. Not only are blatant violations from hill cutting, deforestation, cutting
of sand dunes and mangroves becoming an eye sore for nature lovers, but they
are playing a dicey game with Mother Nature. Which brings up the question
whether it is worth celebrating World Environment Day as a token today?
Rajendra Kerkar has always been close to nature and being a
Green Teacher awardee, he is actively involved in saving the environment. Under
the organisation Vivekanda Environment Awareness Brigade, he has focused on
indigenous tree plantation. He also conducts trekking, hiking and nature trails
in order to sensitise the younger generation about the biodiversity around them
and the heritage that they will inherit. “Throughout my life, I have focused on
protecting the hills. There are certain places in wildlife sanctuaries where
deforestation and degradation is rampant. There are volunteers who bring it to
my notice and then I inform the Chief Wildlife Warden and then action is taken.
However, they are educated people who in spite of knowing the importance of
protecting forest covers and wildlife sanctuaries, go into the forest and
undertake the work of building with cement and concrete, thereby destroying the
area. It is very painful that in our small state, educated people are creating
problems,” says Rajendra.
Environmentalist Claude Alvares is a name synonymous with
protecting the environment in Goa and with the rampant irregularities he has
come across in the state, he has no intention of celebrating this day. “It is
not like one day is kept for environment and 364 days they are violating the
environment. They are violating it throughout the year. Some 65,000 trees in
Mopa and so many trees for the Mandovi and Zuari bridges and everywhere in Goa
are being cut down for the expansion of roads. These small things put together
are creating big problems. When a man cuts a tree or destroys the sand dunes on
the beach or the mangroves, he knows he is doing something wrong,” says Claude.
He adds, “Now, there are only irregularities and I don’t believe
there is anything proper. I have seen all the developmental plans coming out
from government departments and all statutory permissions given by bodies like
Pollution Control Board, which all are irregular. This is because they are
issued by the people who are standing behind them with bags of money or
political influence or a call from a minister and all in the generation of
50-65 years. All of them have no interest in the environment at all because
they won’t be there in another few years and they don’t care about global
warming. Youngsters are trying to work and earn a living or do start-ups so the
environment is not a firm thing on their mind.
Many are very fond of the environment and wildlife but they
don’t see it as a part of the developmental model. They don’t have a
developmental model where nature also benefits.”
Avertano Miranda, a senior journalist and the co-founder of Goa
Green Brigade has been taking on various protests to save Mother Nature. “I
don’t agree with the concept of celebration because there is nothing to
celebrate on World Environment Day. For Goa Green Brigade, it is an everyday
struggle and it is not an easy job since we are fighting against vested
interests. What we need is action on the ground to stop the destruction and not
just talk. They need to walk the talk. The amount of flow of capital,
especially black money into Goa, is so large it puts pressure on the land.
Every big company or businessman based in Goa is trying to concretise Goa and
we are fighting against this lopsided and haphazard development. There must be
an investigation on the black money that has gone into the land over the last
20 years,” says Avertano.
Goa
ForGiving along with a host of organisations are organising a tree plantation
drive ‘Million People, Million Trees’ today. The campaign will be an ongoing
one as they urge people from across Goa to plant at least one tree and look
after it till the roots of the tree reach the water table and the tree can
survive on its own. Armando Gonsalves, the Founder Chairman of Goa ForGiving is
also the voice of the Campal residents who have been fighting for the St Inez
Creek. “I’m so fed up with the authorities but in terms of our efforts it still
continues with cajoling the government. The bridge’s design was corrected by us
but it is such a shame on the part of the Goa government that they left the
design to be done by the neighbour of the bridge. This is not how the
government is run. We are also thinking about going through the legal route in
order to create public awareness,” says Armando, who will be helping plant
1,000 trees including 500 mango trees.
