MARINAS IN GOA COURTESY OF GOA GOVERNMENT BY: Stephen Dias, D.Paula
The news item in Times of India dated 26th August, 2013 , that the M.P.T has doctored an Environmental Impact Assessment report suggesting that the Chicalim Bay is good for Marinas clearly indicates a match fixing carried out in this regards with the covert cooperation of the Member-Secretary of Goa State Biodiversity Board, Mr. Nitin Sawant. Interestingly, Nitin Sawant organised a Biodiversity Board sponsored program at the M.P.T Conference hall at Marmagoa on early August. During the above program, the Environment Minister Alina Saldanha was the Chief Guest and the closeness of members of the Biodiversity Board seemed clearly visible. Surely, there would be a fake encounter by the representative of biodiversity board and a symbolic resistance, which would enable the M.P.T to come up with the Marina project, since the mole in the GSBB is actively working against the interest of Goan biodiversity by hobnobbing directly with the M.P.T authorities in carrying out programs at the M.P.T premises, which is totally against public sentiments. Earlier the Chief Minister, showed the Goans that he was against the casinos. Today giant casinos like the Horseshoe are in the Mandovi River. Similarly Alina Saldanha is shouting hoarse against the Marinas but is actively working with the M.P.T conducting school children programs at the MPT premises. Let us have Marinas in Goa seems to be the call in the name of green Vasco as the label. The serile and ineffective office staff officials under the command of the Minister of Environment and Forest as well as members of the GSBB seem to be in deep sleep. While Goan Forests seas and sweet water suffers from plumber and pollution. On my own, I have single handedly confronted the M.P.T in terms of their dubious activities, directed towards destruction of the Goan environment. I have been involved infighting MPT since the tenure of ex-Chairman Praveen Agarwal. Personally I have alerted the Minister of Forest about the destructive abilities of the Member Secretary of GSBB. Whose appointment as well as his fat salary is illegal as well as a drain on Goan economy. Like the casinos, the marinas would make their presence in Goa, since Alina Saldanha has shown her at the premises of M.P.T, which any Goan with common sense detest and shun as “not in Goan Interest”. Will Alina, stand up to Matanhy Saldanha’s legacy or fall a prey to the guile's of M.P.T will be soon out. Are the Board members of GSBB truly interested or behave like Richard D’Sousa one member of the GSBB who is responsible amongst others for the spread of illegal mining in forest land and their destruction in Goa, he being a Forest Department official! Stephen Dias, D.Paula Retd NIO Scientist Mob: 9422443110