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Documented by Goa Desc Documentation Service
& circulated by Goa Civic & Consumer Action Network
(GOA CAN)<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Report of the GOA CAN Earth Day meeting
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The need for concerted action by Panchayats and Municipalities
along with pro-active involvement of citizens to find local solutions
to the problems of Garbage disposal, Water scarcity and
Environmental protection was the resolve at the Earth Day meeting
attended by Civic and Consumer groups from different parts of Goa.
The meeting, which was held at Mapusa on the occasion of Earth Day,
was organised under the aegis of the Goa Civic and Consumer
Action Network (GOA CAN) an initiative of the Goa Desc Resource Centre,
which aims to promote and consolidate
the civic and consumer rights movement in Goa.
The meeting which was attended by Civic and Consumer Forums
from both North and South Goa discussed matters pertaining
to present methods of Garbage disposal, consumer concerns
& alternate ideas concerning the issue, the proposed Garbage Dump
at Saligao-Calangute for villages of North Goa.,
formation of Panchayat level Garbage Management Committees,
current water shortages in Bardez Taluka and the limited supply
by the PWD, the recently passed Goa Ground Water Act,
the increase of water sellers and their implications and
alternate consumer ideas to augment village water resources.
Members of the Saligao Civic and Consumer Cell
voiced their concern about the 4 lakh litres of water being drained
out from eleven wells in the village each day, which has had serious
consequences specifically on people of Donvaddo.
About 25 families have been directly affected while those
from the neighboring areas have witnessed extremely
low levels of water, which has led them to deepen their wells.
Consumer activists from other villages felt that water scarcity
facing urban and semi urban areas of Bardez has resulted
in a thriving business of selling water and much of this lobby
has also got political patronage and with mafia influence
has become a force to reckon with. The Aldona Civic
and Consumer Forum felt that the govt. should put regulations
to ground water extraction and get local people to engage in
rainwater harvesting in an attempt to find a long-term solutions to the
problem.
While activists of the Candolim Residents and Consumer Forum
were deeply concerned with the Govt. solution of drilling tube wells
in an effort to deal with the water shortage in the area when no attempts
were being made to recharge the water table, for desilting
and maintaining traditional water catchments areas and
preventing the contamination of the ground water table.
Divar Lok Vikas Samittee informed that while everybody
is striving hard to maintain their precious ground water,
the wells in Divar have been destroyed by the breached bunds,
which have resulted in salt water entering the wells.
Activists from other Consumer Forums also voiced the need
to maintain and use community water sources like springs
and community wells thereby reducing dependence
on Govt. provided water. They also felt the Govt. should compulsorily
get households and buildings to engage in rain water harvesting
and take action to curb the illegal use of booster pumps on PWD water lines.
The garbage problem facing various villages of Bardez
was also discussed in detail and the major focus
was on the village of Saligao. The Govt. has recently selected
the Saligao-Calangute plateau as the dump site for the whole of North Goa.
Towards this end, 33,500 sq mts of land has been purchased.
The villagers stated that garbage dumping
on the plateau has been going on for the last few years and the villagers
are already experiencing hardships in terms of air pollution,
due to the constant burning of plastics and kitchen waste.
Further, local cattle owners have complained that cattle have died
due to the consumption of plastic. The Saligao Civic and Consumer Cell
is also apprehensive about potential pollution
of their already scarce ground water sources.
Members of the Calangute Residents and Consumer Forum,
who have recently been surveying the beach informed that garbage
was not being adequately dealt with, while certain areas are frequently
cleaned,
the garbage is dumped in unfrequented areas
and in the bushes on the fringes of the beach.
The open dumping of Industrial waste was yet another problem
discussed and members of the Colvale Jagrut Manch
highlighted this problem and gave a detailed presentation
of their successful action taken against garbage dumping
by Mapusa Municipal Council. Complaints on dumping
of industrial waste have been filed with the Mamlatdar Bardez Taluka,
Mapusa Police, Goa Pollution Control Board and the Colvale Village Panchayat.
It was being noticed that 6 factories from all over Goa,
including the Verna Industrial Estate are dumping waste such as plastics,
fiber glass and other hazardous materials used in their manufacturing
processes.
Members of the Curca Nagrik Vikas Samittee voiced their opinion
that this attitude of 'NOT IN MY BACKYARD' must stop.
Each village and town should come up with a plan to deal
with the garbage being generated in their own area.
More so coastal villages, which are earning revenue from tourism,
must earmark revenue for investing in environmentally friendly
methods of dealing with waste.
Activists present also felt that the problem of waste facing Goa
could be brought under control if the Goa Government steadfastly
implemented the various laws relating to plastic generation and disposal.
As part of the action plan the meeting resolved to hasten the formation
of the Garbage Management Committees, visit affected sites
to mobilize public opinion, undertake planting of saplings
to increase the tree cover, promote household compost pits,
to be vigilant against the dumping of toxic waste & the selling of water
in new areas and to undertake an intensive campaign
for citizen involvement in Beach Management.
The meeting was also attended by consumer activists
from Bastora, Tivim, Merces, Socorro, Moira, Navelim
while solidarity messages were received from forums in
Revora-Nadora , Cuncolim, Seraulim, Majorda and Benaulim.
Earlier the meeting began with a one minute silence
as an expression of concern to the killings of citizens in Gujarat
in the name of religion and to express solidarity
to the efforts undertaken to promote communal harmony.
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GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE
Documentation + Education + Solidarity
11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507
Tel: 252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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