SANGUEM: Brazenly revealing that he is opposed to protecting nature and is insensitive to it, Sanguem MLA and Minister for Social Welfare Subhash Phal Desai urged the people to come in large numbers to oppose eco-sensitive zone (ESZ).
Addressing villagers of Curdi-Wadem on Saturday, he urged them to attend the meeting on Monday, October 16 at Cola-Betul in large numbers and even offered to sponsor transport for them to travel there.
It may be pertinent to point out that the seven-member committee constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to hear views of the people likely to be affected by this proposal is currently in Goa and is scheduled to hear the people of Sanguem taluka on October 16.
Parts of Uguem, Bhatti, Villian, Curdi-Wadem and Netravali are proposed to be declared as eco-sensitive zone as they come under the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary.
Drawing a bleak picture of the future, Subhash said that leave alone any construction, people will not even be able to enter their houses if the area is declared as an eco-sensitive zone.
He argued that the meeting on Monday was the last opportunity for the people to protect their village from being declared an eco-sensitive zone and asked them to attend the meeting in large numbers.
He was speaking at a programme held at Gauliwada in Curdi-Wadem village which is earmarked to be declared as eco-sensitive zone.
It would be relevant to point out that Phal Desai has also been very vociferously promoting the setting up of IIT in Rivona village amidst lush agricultural land and even held meeting with villagers in the night to neutralise opposition to this project.
At the meeting today, he also cautioned the people against trying to oppose setting up the IIT in Sanguem thus making it very clear that the lush ecosystem of Sanguem is under severe threat under the guise of development thanks to the present MLA.
