The Zilla Panchayat candidates she supported bit the dust. So common in Indian politics, she was the widow, the temporary arrangement that would cash in on the sympathy wave for the party. She played that part well for three years, but now, the late Matanhy Saldanha’s widow has decided to speak out, and she has chosen an issue that her husband would have also fought against and lies in her backyard – well her constituency for certain.
Alina Saldanha, the minister for Environment and Forests, has decided to fight the marinas that the Investment Promotion Board has cleared in Sancoale Bay and nauxi. And suddenly, the very people who had been maintaining a distance from the Minister, have set aside their reservations and joined hands with Saldanha.
“Marinas are not feasible for such a small state as Goa,” Saldanha said, a statement that is in stark contrast to what her cabinet colleagues feel. Strong words but can she deliver? Yes, if the growing number of people who have welcomed her stand and are supporting her, are to be believed.
“Despite knowing that Alina comes from the eco-sensitive Cortalim constituency and is the State’s environment minister, the BJP government is trying to push this concept of marinas in Sancoale and Nauxim,” says Cansaulim-based social activist Ashley Fernandes.
Today, people from Cansaulim, Velsao, Cortalim and Sancoale, feel that the ruling dispensation does not respect her enough, and are rallying behind Saldanha. “The manner in which Alina has been sidelined and ignored in important environmental decisions, ranging from the buffer zone around mining areas to pollution of River Mandovi by casinos to even ignoring environmental concerns, has been noticed by everyone in this area. They take it as an insult to their elected representative,” says Sancoale Sarpanch Sharan Meti.
This is interesting, as Meti till recently did not support Saldanha merely because she refused to take up some developmental works (internal road works) in his ward. But today, setting aside past issues, Meti wants more power to Saldanha because she requires public support to ensure that the marinas do not become a reality.
Interestingly, even panchas of Cortalim have extended their support to Saldanha. In the past they had turned against her as she had openly objected to the Mini India project that was proposed by a few panchas in some khazan land at Cortalim.
“Alina is not alone in her battle. If required we will come out on the streets if the government tries to use pressure for this project,” said Cortalim panch Raymond De Sa who had been selected as the Congress candidate against Saldanha in the Cortalim by polls.
When it comes to the marinas, there is no Congress or BJP or even NCP. “The marina project is a manmade disaster and we will fully support the people who are objecting to this project,” said former Revenue Minister and NCP leader Jose Philip D’Souza.
Singing the same tune, the Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) has raised its concerns over setting up the marina. GRE General Secretary Olencio Simoes, who is also Joint Secretary of National Fish Workers Forum, said that if Saldanha is of the opinion that Goa is too small and it’s ecology is fragile how can others in the BJP government make statements that it is feasible to have marinas in Goa? “The traditional fishermen community is 80,000 strong in Goa and we are dependent on traditional fishing activities for our livelihood. We will oppose the marinas tooth and nail right from Arambol to Canacona,” he told Herald.
The opposition against the marinas is increasing daily, with people in Mormugao taluka ready to agitate if the marinas are forced upon them. They have also warned of a massive agitation and have advised the companies not to invest in this ‘anti-environment and anti-people’ marina project.
