When a Mandate turns Marauder of Mother Nature

“It’s fashion in Goa to halt development in the name of Environment protection,” were the recent words of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who even during his 60th birthday celebration rightly remembered and sarcastically praised the Green activists. But assessment of ground reality forces every Goan to change the phrase a bit- “It’s fashion in Goa to bring in development at the cost of environment “.
The Digamber Kamat-led Congress government had initially left behind a legacy of destructing safeguards for Goa’s environment, forests and protected areas. The BJP government is carrying forward the legacy but on a stronger note. The process has been so accelerated that journalists have struggled to keep pace while reporting on them.
Clamping down on the environmental groups while going lawlessness to spur the economic growth is a trend adopted by former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and followed by his successor Parsekar. The BJP-led government, following footstep of its “God Father”- Central Government is going all out to weaken the environmental laws, destructing the existing ecology just to fast-track State progress at the cost of future living.
Noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar is of the view that government needs to retrospect on whether small a State like Goa can sustain such huge and access development by destroying the ecology, considering that it is already over burdened. “The State’s capacity is over flowing with development, infrastructure and population that is growing migrants. Time has come to put some moratorium,” said Kerkar, who led several agitations against successive State governments to preserve and protect Goa’s natural cover over the decades.
Right from Mopa airport, Tuem electronic city, Mandovi bridge, Tiracol Golf Course Project, the Vani Agro Liquor project, mining leases, Vaunxim project, proposal to reduce no developmental zone to 50 metres, allowing shacks to become permanent, etc are based on destruction of mangroves, forests, beaches, coconut trees, agricultural fields and permanent water supplies.
In the last one year, while granting approval to 89 projects, 45 percent of which constitute the hospitality projects, the Investment Promotion Board (IPB) has allowed land conversion of over lakh of sq mtr area. The settlement, agricultural, orchard lands were converted for industrial purposes. The Board constituted as per Investment Promotion Act, is something that overrules all the environmental rules and regulations- to promote Goa as an investment destination.
With full blessings from Central Government, the environmental damage is been rampant in the State, which is ecologically fragile having Western Ghat on one side and West Coast on the other. “Having around 63 percent forest cover, followed by coastal regulation zone and no developmental areas, Government is bound to make ways for development by destruction,” Kerkar claimed.
As per information, of the total cases before the Western bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT), 45 percent cases are from Goa. The figure gives a clear picture of level of environmental destruction in this small state at the behest of political power.
“Development at the cost of environment is a picture in Goa. The vested interest of political leaders has left a devastating impact on ecology, wildlife and coastal areas,” alleged NGT Bar Association Adv Asim Sarode.
He came down heavily on the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), who blatantly grants environmental clearances to State projects like Mopa, Tiracol, Garbage treatment facility, Mandovi bridge, MPT river dredging, etc without studying ground realities and repercussions it will have. “One cannot compromise with environment as the damage is beyond repair and compensable,” Adv Sarode commented.
When it comes to non-environment friendly projects, the first time Chief Minister Parsekar has managed to overpower his predecessor Parrikar wherein his arrogance and so called ‘bold’ decisions imposing non-people friendly projects bulldozing natural cover. The latest example of it is the Tiracol Golf Course project. Despite Government appointed Sandeep Jacques Committee authenticated that the proposed project land is agriculture, Parsekar went all out and announced that ‘come what may…Tiracol project will take place’.
Apparently, this is the first time any chief minister openly endorsed to impose anti people and anti- environment project on Goans.
“Instead of criticizing environmentalists on his birthday (thus conceding they were the most important factor in his regime!), Parsekar should concentrate on projects that will preserve the natural beauty of Goa since the entire tourism industry is based on this,” Director Goa Foundation Dr Claude Alvares said.
He maintained that all the projects supported by Parsekar government were based on destruction of ecology and environment. “Once tourism’s very base is destroyed, let them not blame the Goa Foundation and other environmental groups when that happens. Neither Parsekar nor I will be around then. But Parsekar will certainly get more curses than me from the next generation,” he reacted.
Goa Foundation, Mapusa-based NGO has been very vocal in raising people’s voice against government’s mass demolition of environment. Right from mining to latest Saligao garbage plant, it had dragged government before Court and Tribunal seeking justice. Hence, the Foundation is now under direct attack and criticism of the saffron party.
The BJP’s current tenure (2012-17), will always be remembered as ‘saffron party’s war against Environment’ where the ultimate winner for now would be Laxmikant Parsekar while his future generation would be at the biggest loss.