Team Herald
MARGAO: After a successful fight against the now withdrawn proposed amendments to the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations Act, environmentalists, social workers, farmers and likeminded citizens have planned to hold a peaceful protest against the proposed Jetty Policy 2022, at Panjim on October 14.
Social activists have already geared up to mobilize the people over the issue and they all will be holding protests in front of Paryatan Bhavan, the office of the Directorate of Tourism Department, on Friday.
Speaking to Herald, Environmentalist Abhijit Prabhudesai said, “Rivers belong to villagers, as ancestors have created them with love. We must not allow the government to sell those rivers for private brokers or builders to concretize them. Our ancestors have surrendered their responsibility to us to conserve them for all our future generations.”
He further said that they shall stand to defend and shall be the voice of voiceless rivers.
It is pertinent to note that the 15-days extension period to file the objections and suggestions gets over on October 15.
Prabhudesai claimed, “The proposed jetty policy was prepared by keeping the people in the dark. Going through the draft policy it is very much clear that proposed jetties are only to benefit private parties, as the approvals will be given on a single window system. The proposed jetty policy will create a huge impact on the fishermen communities, besides public in general, as khazan and agricultural land will be destroyed completely.”
He further claimed that neither proper study nor any data was collected before proposing the jetty policy by the government. Rivers will go in the hands of private parties, if implemented.
“Our protest will be a peaceful one and we will submit objections before the tourism department pertaining to the proposed jetty policy,” he informed.
Meanwhile, social activists have expedited the programmes to mobilize the citizens on the issue and awareness activities are being carried out in several parts of Goa.
