Prakash Kamat
Panaji,June 24-The Aam Aadmi Party(AAP), Goa on Wednesday wrote to Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, with a copy to Union Minister for Environment and Forest and Climate Change Prakash Jawadekar expressing serious concern over mass scale environmental destruction in Bhagwan Mahaveer wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park (Ecologically sensitive Western Ghats) due to approval for projects.
The letter signed by Goa Convenor of AAP Elvis Gomes and Siddarth Karapurkar, South Goa said that they were deeply concerned over "the threat of loosing our Forest, River, and the Environment on the whole due to these three projects which have got sanction from MoEFCC."
1.Double tracking of Railway line,
2.Expansion of National Highway 4A and
3.Laying of Transmission line.
These approvals have been granted during the strictest phase of the lockdown when movement of people was banned, the Courts right from the Supreme Court to the Courts at the local level have not been regular in their functioning. It is observed that the government has been using the lockdown period to approve such proposals for mega projects by taking advantage of the situation,the letter protested.
The MoEFCC is well aware that this forest area is part of the western ghats which is a contiguous forest adjoining the kali tiger reserve in Karnataka and is an important tiger corridor. It is among the eight biodiversity ‘hotest hotspots’ in the world with UNESCO categorisation as a world heritage site.
There are recordrd findings about existence of 721 plant species, 235 bird species , 219 butterfly species, 70 mammals, 75 ant species, 45 reptiles, 27 amphabians and 2 dragonfly species endemic to western ghats.
Goa’s major river, the Mhadei has already been allowed to be diverted for political considerations and now the springs and streams from Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem national park which join the Mhadei in the course followed , will be affected which will further destroy the river completely.
Though coal is an unclean fuel and world is moving towards reducing the use of coal, in Goa, the import of coal and its transportation to Karnataka is getting full boost from the Government and the double tracking is being done keeping transportation of coal in mind.
In Mormugao taluk of Goa, where the port is situated and its surrounding areas which are in close proximity to coal transportation, nearly 16,000 people have been reported to be sick due to respiratory illnesses. There are more people who are affected and are taking treatment in private medical facilities whose count is not known. If the double tracking is forced upon the people,the cost on human health as well as the impact on the rich biodiversity will be humongous,warned the AAP letter.
In view of the above, we request you to reconsider the approvals given so that lives of people are saved and also the interest of generations yet to come is safeguarded,the AAP letter urged the State and the Central Governments.(eom)
Panaji,June 24-The Aam Aadmi Party(AAP), Goa on Wednesday wrote to Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, with a copy to Union Minister for Environment and Forest and Climate Change Prakash Jawadekar expressing serious concern over mass scale environmental destruction in Bhagwan Mahaveer wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park (Ecologically sensitive Western Ghats) due to approval for projects.
The letter signed by Goa Convenor of AAP Elvis Gomes and Siddarth Karapurkar, South Goa said that they were deeply concerned over "the threat of loosing our Forest, River, and the Environment on the whole due to these three projects which have got sanction from MoEFCC."
1.Double tracking of Railway line,
2.Expansion of National Highway 4A and
3.Laying of Transmission line.
These approvals have been granted during the strictest phase of the lockdown when movement of people was banned, the Courts right from the Supreme Court to the Courts at the local level have not been regular in their functioning. It is observed that the government has been using the lockdown period to approve such proposals for mega projects by taking advantage of the situation,the letter protested.
The MoEFCC is well aware that this forest area is part of the western ghats which is a contiguous forest adjoining the kali tiger reserve in Karnataka and is an important tiger corridor. It is among the eight biodiversity ‘hotest hotspots’ in the world with UNESCO categorisation as a world heritage site.
There are recordrd findings about existence of 721 plant species, 235 bird species , 219 butterfly species, 70 mammals, 75 ant species, 45 reptiles, 27 amphabians and 2 dragonfly species endemic to western ghats.
Goa’s major river, the Mhadei has already been allowed to be diverted for political considerations and now the springs and streams from Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem national park which join the Mhadei in the course followed , will be affected which will further destroy the river completely.
Though coal is an unclean fuel and world is moving towards reducing the use of coal, in Goa, the import of coal and its transportation to Karnataka is getting full boost from the Government and the double tracking is being done keeping transportation of coal in mind.
In Mormugao taluk of Goa, where the port is situated and its surrounding areas which are in close proximity to coal transportation, nearly 16,000 people have been reported to be sick due to respiratory illnesses. There are more people who are affected and are taking treatment in private medical facilities whose count is not known. If the double tracking is forced upon the people,the cost on human health as well as the impact on the rich biodiversity will be humongous,warned the AAP letter.
In view of the above, we request you to reconsider the approvals given so that lives of people are saved and also the interest of generations yet to come is safeguarded,the AAP letter urged the State and the Central Governments.(eom)
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