Team Herald
VASCO: The battle against the Bhutani infra project at Sancoale intensified on Sunday as activists and the people from across Goa joined the protest and held a candlelight march in the village, demanding that the State government immediately withdraw the permission granted to the ‘controversial’ project.
The activists warned that if the government issues any permission for hill cutting and deforestation for the projects such as Bhutani, then those days are not far when Goa may witness a disaster like Wayanad.
Addressing the gathering, South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes said, “We have to continue the fight. Our ancestors never took up construction work on hills as they knew that they are sources of water. Only Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is not responsible for allowing the project, but there are others too, who are involved. Therefore, there is a need to remain united and fight for the cause.”
“Let us keep our differences aside. If we do not raise our voice now, then after a few years, there will be a movement to merge Goa with the neighbouring State, and we will not be in a position to do anything,” he cautioned.
Cortalim MLA Anton Vas briefed the gathering about the steps taken by him and assured the villagers that he would give all possible support to them in their mission to scrap the project.
“I have been with the people and will remain with them. Had the Sancoale panchayat not given No Objection Certification (NOC) for the project, it would not have come to such a stage. I had written several letters, but there was no response to them. There is no need to be misguided,” he said.
Former Minister for Forest and Environment Alina Saldanha said, “We need to protect our hills because they have a lot to do with our environment and climate. You feel a rise in temperatures. Why? Because the State government is granting permissions for deforestation. This we cannot allow to happen. We have to fight unitedly, if we want to protect the environment for posterity. The gradient of the slope of the hill where the project is proposed is about 70-75 degrees which means one cannot carry out construction work and give scope for calamities like the one that occurred in Wayanad, Kerala.”
She demanded that the government must withdraw all the permissions issued to Bhutani infra because the project is illegal in every aspect.
Historian Prajal Sakhardande said, “People of Sancoale have shown that if one village comes together, Bhutani of Lodhas can be driven out. They (Bhutani) are trying to finish Goa, so let us remain united. A State-wide agitation is required, starting with Bhutani. We are going to stand with the people of Sancoale. Let us stop all these mega projects.”
Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) general secretary Olencio Simoes demanded that the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA) should be dissolved immediately.
He said whether it is Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane or Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, the villagers of Sancoale and Cortalim, are not afraid of anyone.
Activist Swapnesh Sherlekar stressed the need to send Chief Town Planner (CTP) Rajesh Naik home because he is behind all the decisions taken since 2017 and the government has given him extension in service.
He called for restoring the land allotted by the government for various projects.
Another activist Xencor Polgi pointed out that it is the same government which allowed the construction of Mopa airport by cutting down as many as 10 lakh trees.
He accused the government of acquiring Comunidade lands in the name of the Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board (IPB).
Polgi said, “If we do not protest now, then the government will be on a destruction spree, as they are doing now, and we will not be able to do anything.”
Activist Rama Kankonkar said, “It is not a Sancoale issue only, but the issue concerns the entire population of the State. I will remain with the people of Sancoale in their fight to protect their land. Some political agents have come forward. but I want to tell them that they may make efforts to divide us on religious lines, but we will exhibit our Goenkarponn. We will not remain silent till the ongoing conversion of lakhs of square metres of land is not stopped in the State.”
Those who addressed the meeting were Sancoale panchayat members Tulshidas Naik and Maurelio Carvalho, Peter D’Souza, Narayan Naik and other activists.