Team Herald
MARGAO: Goencho Ekvott and associated organisations that are strongly opposing three linear projects, cite Uttarakhand glacier burst and caution Goans that Goa suffer the same due to environmental degradation that the projects will cause.
Capt Viriato Fernandes said the Uttarakhand incident is alarming after Kerala in 2019 and Canacona in 2009. “I fail to understand why the government is not listening to the warning mother nature is giving us,” he said.
He critisised former MLA and BJP general secretary Damu Naik for tabling the motion at the BJP meeting and getting the core committee support for the three projects.
Swapnesh Sheldekar pointed out that while Goa had asked for Rs. 100 crore but Centre gave Rs. 300crore instead to celebrate 50th anniversary of Goa’s liberation. “This increase in the amount will explain why the Goa government is supporting the three projects as for them once money is paid everything is done,” he said.
Vikas Bhagat from Canacona rates Nilesh Cabral as the worst Environment Minister and accused him of destroying the nature despite being a great admirer of Bakibab Borkar, the poet who glorified it in his poems.
Olencio Simoes of the Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott wonder why the government that is paying its employees by borrowing money from the market is so determined to push these projects and recalled that despite Arossim people’s objections the government is going ahead with a rail overbridge.
Royla Fernandes from Benaulim said they are fighting for their survival as cutting of trees will cause ecological damage and said they are still waiting to hear from Environment Minister what they will gain from these three projects.
Jose Cabral from Nagoa accused MLA Wilfred alias Babashan D’Sa of fooling people of by declaring that he will not be a BJP candidate in future and demanded to know the actual reason why he did not vote against the projects in the assembly.
Captain Viriato also cautioned the “towering” politician who offered a ticket to the defectors who left Congress to join the BJP and said the public will not spare him.
