Team Herald
MARGAO: Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament, Luizinho Faleiro on Saturday said that approving Karnataka’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) is a betrayal of the House of Elders and people of Goa.
He said the Government of India had given an assurance to him in the House of Elders that no action would be taken on Mhadei till August 20, 2023 when he had asked for protecting the interest of Goa on the contentious issue.
“Now in the meantime, passing the DPR is not only contempt of the Rajya Sabha, it is also a betrayal of the people of Goa and we Goans strongly condemn it. I strongly condemn it, because this is not right,” Faleiro said.
Recalling that he had raised this matter four times in the Rajya Sabha, he said, “The ecology, environment and the precious forests are being taken away by the government even as 60 per cent of Goa depends on Mhadei, which is the lifeline of the State and falls in the highly Eco – Sensitive Western Ghats. The DPR is patently illegal and in violation of Supreme Court order.”
The former Chief Minister said, “The Mhadei River has got six wildlife sanctuaries, which are protected by the Government under the Acts. In fact, the Mollem Wildlife Sanctuary, which is part of Mhadei, is the world’s eighth hotspot on biodiversity.”
“We want to protect our ecology, we want to protect our environment, we want to protect our forests, we want to protect our mighty rivers, which are given to us by God and it is our duty to protect and preserve them for posterity,” Faleiro added.
