Team Herald
VASCO: Civil society and social groups welcomed the decision of the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant in scrapping the Nauxim Marina project on Tuesday, after receiving a backlash from the residents of Nauxim, Siridao, Odxel, Bambolim and Cacra.
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Citing as a people’s victory, Civil society said that the “govt should first put the project proposals before people to get their opinion and only after taking local people into confidence, it (govt) should decide on further course of action with the projects.”
“Marina at Nauxim would have been a destructive project in the River Zuari as it is rich in shell fish, window pane oysters, different variety of fish, etc, and the fishermen are dependent on it for their livelihood,” said Sanjay Redkar, Goa Against Coal activist. “The government has taken the right decision to scrap the project as demanded by the locals showing that the Government listens to the voice of the people,” Redkar added.
“The State government is only reacting when the people become desperate and come out in protest to do whatever it takes to stop something which will destroy their lives. One in such instances the government listens. The Government must now change its policies which it is not willing to do,” said Abhijeet Prabhudessai of Goyant Kollso Naka (GKN), whilst expressing his happiness on the scrapping of the Nauxim project and agreed with Redkar that govt should first consult the locals on the proposed projects.
Orville Dourado Rodrigues, Chairman Village Action Committee against Double-tracking (VACAD) and founder of Goencho Ekvott, said, “The proposed Anytime Harbour of Yachts (AHOY) marina at Nauxim in the Zuari bay required dredging up to a depth of 3.5m over 1,00,000 square meters which would have caused irreversible damage to the sea life comprising mostly prawns, mussels, crabs, oysters and other local species of fish that spawn here.”
“While over 100 traditional fishermen ply their trade in the waters off the picturesque coastline, during low tide hundreds of villagers from Nauxim, Siridao, Odxel, Bambolim and Cacra wade through knee deep waters in the bay to harvest shellfish which has been their main source of sustenance for generations,” Rodrigues added.
“We welcome the decision on the project and take this opportunity to congratulate the NGO ‘Goans against Marina’ including Rama Kankonkar, Adv Palkar and the villagers for their sustained show of unity against all odds. While we welcome sustainable development, the authorities must be judicious while dispersing our scarce land resources to the corporates, more so when the quality of lives of the native communities will be affected, as in the case of the MOPA Airport,” claimed Rodrigues.
Captain Viriato Fernandes of Goencho Avaaz said, “Dropping of project Nauxim Marina coming on the back drop of IIT at Shel Melauli exposes the government’s vulnerability towards peoples’ power. It also signals that elections are round the corner. From a military perspective, it could be termed as a TACTICAL RETREAT. But surely, the activists and villagers across Goa and the country can draw inspiration from the people’s sustained campaign and victory over unholy nexus between powerful politicians and crony capitalists.”
Swapnesh Sherlekar, co-convenor of Goencho Avaaz, opined, “The decision of scrapping the project is a welcome. We at Goencho Avaaz firmly supported the locals in opposing the project due to its disastrous effects on the eco system especially the marine ecosystem of the area. The project was also a potential threat to our national security because of its close proximity to Defense Naval bases and on this count alone the project deserved to be scrapped.”
“However the role of MPT needs to be probed in this entire matter as they had entered into a 30-year lease agreement with the Project Proponent for setting up of the Marina project,” he added.
