Team Herald
MARGAO: Disturbed over the stripping off the forest cover at Mollem National Park and Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco on Thursday (eve of World Environment Day) in a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked him to discourage haphazard development and playing with nature.
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Reginaldo said Goans are aghast to watch a recent video that went viral on social media showing Goa’s pristine Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary and Mollem National Park being stripped off green cover during the lockdown days.
“It is ironic that lockdown was imposed to prevent the spread of corona virus pandemic, but in reality the lockdown is being used for making Goa bare off its forest. It is being given to understand that Forest Department clearance is happening at Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary during the lockdown in Goa to facilitate environmentally destructive projects including Akola –Hubli Railway Line and double Hospet –Tinaighat –Vasco line,” the MLA pointed out.
Reminding the Government of India of his earlier letter requesting not to allow these projects, he said, “Let us not forget please that Goa is blessed with 240 square kilometres of protected areas encompassing Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary and Mollem National Park. These forest and parkland of our Goa have been preserved by our ancestors and it has been bequeathed to us so that it can be forwarded to our posterity without any destruction to house any environmentally catastrophic mega projects” he said.
“I appeal to your good selves in the name of so-called haphazard development especially done during lockdown period rampantly please do not play with nature, God will not forgive us. Nature’s catastrophe would take place for this destruction. Let us please preserve Goa’s picturesque natural beauty depicted by its flora and fauna. Otherwise celebrating, the World Environment Day tomorrow has no meaning, it is just a drama to fool and cheat Goenkars,” he added.
