MARGAO: A group of 27 college students from Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka who are a part of the Save Mollem Citizen Campaign group, have submitted a representation to the Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, Bhupender Yadav, and the Director of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Virendra Tiwari, requesting that the WII lend its support to calls for the railway double-tracking project through the biodiversity areas of Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park to be scrapped.
This letter continues the 3-year-old grassroots campaign.
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In the letter, the students point out that the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) appointed by the Supreme Court had in its report of April 2021 clearly stated that it found no justification for the railway double-tracking project and acknowledged the many concerns and representations it received. Further, the students note that Mollem is already experiencing the impacts of human encroachment, including forest fires and unsafe levels of human faecal matter in its waterbodies, several of which feed the Mandovi River, Goa’s foremost source of potable water. The letter reiterates that climate change impacts will only worsen the situation, and urged the WII not to support the exacerbation of these issues through the performance of a second Environmental Impact Assessment, particularly when the original findings were unequivocally against the double-tracking project.
The decision to send the letter was taken on World Environment Day 2023.
Asked for her opinion on the current status of the campaign, representation signatory student Mithila Prabhudesai (23), said, ‘It’s disappointing to know that the government turns a deaf ear to the massive protests held previously. Despite all that, we, the youth of Goa, still stand in solidarity with the cause and have once again written to the concerned authorities at the Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the WII, asking them to not permit any project that results in the destruction of our beloved Mollem.’
Another student signatory, Shruti Salunke (21), offered a gentle reminder to the addressees of the representation: ‘The people in power must remember that they are chosen by the public as public representatives and should take public concerns seriously. In this case, it’s not only about people but our shared and irreplaceable natural wealth.’
The signatories to the representation call on the public to maintain the momentum and continue their sustained opposition to the project in order to ensure that the invaluable biodiversity of Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park is preserved in perpetuity for the benefit of future generations.
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Chatbot designed to collect info on beach plastics
PANJIM: The WWF-India has launched a WhatsApp Chatbot designed to collect information on beach plastics. The Chatbot offers a user-friendly platform for the general public to report the location, quantity, and images of beach litter. This data will help map the extent of unmanaged plastic waste in natural habitats and aid in identifying effective solutions.
The operators will be provided training to ensure proper management and disposal of plastics on-board and on jetties. Moreover, they will be encouraged to participate actively in reef clean-up activities and responsible disposal of plastic waste. Local Goa and Southern Maharashtra stakeholders will collaborate to establish and strengthen a reliable plastic management system, said Kakodkar.
Utilising the widely accessible WhatsApp platform, individuals can contribute to the cause by simply sending a message ‘plastic’ to WWF’s WhatsApp number: +917498982409. The Chatbot will guide participants through predefined questions to gather the necessary details.
