Whilst congratulating the people of Cavelossim for their perseverance in approaching the National Green Tribunal, it will surely be a matter of great concern and worry to the people of Goa that approaching Governments elected by the people and agencies paid for with the tax payers’ hard earned money show absolutely no results even for matters that allegedly contravene existing laws. Every law required for protection of the land and environment is in place. Yet it appears that this government prefers to spin vague dreams about a magical panacea called ‘Special Status’ that it will win for Goans in some distant future rather than show will to enforce and apply existing laws that will serve the purpose admirably and transform Goa’s fast growing reputation as an allegedly lawless state where anything is possible. It is also amazing that the Environment Minister Alina Saldanha, publicly states that “the trend is to have mega projects of even 600 units packed into small villages without essential infrastructure”. To say that when she herself is part of the government and the State Pollution Control Board and the Biodiversity Board fall within her purview, makes it amply clear that this Minister does not believe in walking the talk. Or else, she would have taken a strong stand against the massive Terekhol project and the proposed Mopa airport project which will destroy 86 lakh square metres of pristine Goan land. The time has come for her to make public what she feels, and what she has done or intends to do in respect to these two projects. In fact, it makes one wonder whether her statement “twenty years from now I see Goa without Goans'” is a cry of distress at the destruction of Matanhy’s vision or whether it is a statement of satisfaction that twenty years will see this government’s objectives being met.
Diana Pinto
