MARGAO: A collective of 262 contemporary artists, residing and finding inspiration amidst Goa’s tranquil landscapes, has united to voice their opposition against the proposed railway double-tracking project that jeopardizes the natural treasures of the Mollem National Park and Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary.
In August 2020, 249 artists submitted a representation to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court. The artists protested the forest land destruction for the railway project, NH-4A widening, and LILOP transmission line.
Across music, painting, poetry, and puppetry, these artists forged a potent testament to the profound link between people and their environment, and the dire threat these projects posed to various species, including humanity.
Their efforts influenced the CEC’s decision that these projects were unnecessary and would inflict irreversible harm upon the protected zones, and the Supreme Court subsequently ruled against them.
Three years later, the artists renew their concerns. In a letter to the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Director of the Wildlife Institute of India, the artists vigorously restate their opposition, detailing their compelling rationale. Beyond ecological deterioration, biodiversity loss, and climate change, they emphasise that the double-tracking initiative will severely erode Goa’s cultural and spiritual essence, incurring an irreparable loss to both its citizens and the nation.
For these artists, their mission encompasses capturing, reflecting, and offering distinct perspectives on contemporary societal matters. Nature has always fostered cultural identity. The human-nature connection has flourished for millennia, evident in ancient cave art, global myths, and modern media celebrating the natural world’s beauty. These artists see themselves as nature and culture’s witnesses, nurturers, and guardians.
Their letter underscores how deeply Goa’s cultural identity is intertwined with nature, making permanent removal or destruction of its natural riches an agonising setback.
This heartfelt appeal implores Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Dr Virendra Tiwari, Director of the Wildlife Institute of India, to take a stand and protect Mollem National Park and Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary. They urge them to resist external pressures and economic interests, prioritising public interest, shared natural treasures, and Goa’s cultural integrity.
“The Amche Mollem campaign has endured three years, and though the journey is long, we persist. Pessimism or cynicism is not an option; this is our only home, and we must defend it,” said a spokesperson for the artists’ collective. The artists urge decision-makers to recognise the unique bond between the nation and its smallest state, Goa, and to acknowledge the profound advantages derived from its natural wealth – economic, social, and environmental – especially in confronting the escalating climate change threat.
“The railway double-tracking project imperils not only the environment but also the very soul of Goa’s culture,” assert the artists, who ask authorities to safeguard this most precious and intangible treasure by halting the project.
