TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Goa government after partially objecting to Prof Madhav Gadgil committee report on the Western Ghats, Thursday claimed it will have no money in its treasury to pay salaries if all recommendations in the report are accepted.
“I was saying the other day that if we had to accept all the recommendations of Prof Gadgil committee report, then we will have no money to pay for salaries, even the salaries of Judges,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the House on the concluding day of the Budget Session of the State Legislative Assembly Thursday.
Gadgil committee’s report had recommended measures for the protection of Western Ghats including suggestion that mining and other industrial activities in ecologically sensitive zones be banned.
Parrikar said the State government has already submitted its objection to the Ministry and he hopes it would be considered. “We are of the opinion that industries like small scale and micro industries can be allowed in the buffer zone of the Western Ghat,” he said while speaking on the resolution demanding special financial package from the Centre for the mining closure affected people in Goa.
As regards to the Ministry of Environment and Forests’ affidavit to the Supreme Court, about considering the area within 10 km of all national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Goa as ecologically sensitive zones, the House expressed its total discontent.
While Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane questioned whether it was punishment for having preserved the ecology in Goa, Digambar Kamat said it was not ideal for the State.
BJP’s Pramod Sawant also rued saying if it was implemented, Goa will not have a single mine functioning.
Parrikar said the State government has sent its ‘area specific’ to the concerned authority in this regard. “The file must have moved today (Thursday), if not, I will personally see that it is dispatched by tomorrow (Friday),” he said adding that Goa has around 60 per cent green cover and if the new guidelines are in place, Goa will have only eight per cent for development.
“We have done better (increasing green cover, family planning, etc) that is why the apex court hits us bad, though it is not their intention. We should not permit indiscriminate slaughtering of green cover,” he said.