CHIMBEL: Save Mhadei Save Goa Front on Sunday accused the Goa government of refusing to protect River Mhadei, doing everything possible to destroy Goa’s besieged and scarce water resources, threatening to turn the State into a man-made desert.
At a press conference in Chimbel, Save Mhadei Save Goa Front’s Tiswadi Block alleged that the “greedy” BJP government in the State has failed to protect Goa’s interest on the Mhadei issue and urged Goans to participate in large number for the meeting on June 18 (Goa Revolution Day) at Lohia Maidan, Margao to launch a State-wide water revolution to save Goa’s water resources.
Addressing media persons said in the presence of activists Arturo D’Souza, Rama Kankonkar and others, social activist Anna Gracias said that the future is extremely bleak for Goans since the water scarcity, destruction of water resources and diversion of water from local communities to speculative profit-seeking corporations are increasing each passing day with the blessings of “an anti-people” government.
Save Mhadei Save Goa Front said that the diversion of River Mhadei, destruction of groundwater aquifers and recharge areas, especially plateaus and hill slopes, for speculative greed of real estate lobbies and unsustainable industries, rising sea levels and the increased salinity ingress along Goa’s coast, grabbing of local water resources by water guzzling industries, mega projects, pollution of our springs, ponds, lakes and rivers due to urbanisation and polluting industries are a result of “suicidal” policies of a government blinded by “greed and arrogance”.
To launch the Water Revolution, Save Mhadei Save Goa Front calls upon all Goans to gather at Lohia Maidan, Margao at 4 pm on the auspicious occasion of Goa Revolution Day, i.e. on June 18.
“It is essential that the reluctant and blind government is forced by the people to immediately save River Mhadei by stopping its diversion and to stop destroying our local water resources for the speculative greed of a few crony capitalists. The people of Goa and the government are reminded that this is the last chance for us to save our water resources, failing which our future generations will have no water to survive,” Gracias added.
