Wilfred Mascarenhas
The very informative article in Herald Review concerning the dangers Goa is presently facing due to coal pollution, makes frightening reading. Thanks to your newspaper for bringing it out for the benefit of Goan readers and kudos to the writer Smita Nair and her team for these factual, investigative write-ups. This “Coal Tragedy” can no longer be ignored or wished away. It appears our government is either ignorant or least concerned about the health of its citizens and the environmental catastrophe which awaits Goa if allowed to be converted into a coal hub for the benefit of the corporates.
In a democracy people’s voice is supreme and the government should respect the sentiments of its citizens who have come out to shout in one voice to put an end to this coal pollution. Another major tragedy that should be averted is the privatisation/nationalisation of our rivers. These rivers are our God given treasures, sustenance to thousands of our fisherfolk and farmers. Trying to alter their nature by dredging and constructions on embankments is akin to murdering them. Please spare our rivers and avoid falling for short-term corporate greed risking long term disaster. Our ancestors lived for many years as they were blessed with pure air and chemical-free food.
Development and progress has come at a heavy price to the modern generation. Advanced countries are looking for alternate sources of energy and investing in solar power to reduce their dependence on coal. Goa and for that matter India is blessed with plenty of sunlight. Government should invest heavily in this clean energy to reduce pollution. It does not matter to us which government is in power or who started what. What matters is, what is the present government doing, after hearing the cry of anguish from all corners of Goa, to give us our right to live in dignity without pumping coal dust in our lungs. Hope better sense prevails and Goans will be spared the agony of wiping away the coal dust from their houses and becoming future asthma patients.
