OLD GOA: Slamming the BJP government for trying to thrust the Nauxim marina project on the people, Goemkars Against Marina (GAM) has vowed to oppose the project tooth and nail till it is scrapped.
The decision was arrived at a meeting held in the village, on Sunday, which was attended by the locals as well as activists, NGO, and others.
It was also decided that apart from the agitation, GAM will also fight a legal battle over the issue as and when the State government grants its approval for the project.
Speaking on the occasion, GAM convenor Adv Suresh Palkar informed that they were taken aback when reports emerged of the Environment Ministry’s decision to waive off Environmental Clearance (EC) for the project.
“This decision is totally anti-environment and only taken to benefit the project proponents who would never have been able to get EC considering the damage that the project would have had on the environment and ecology of the area,” Palkar added.
“This area is rich in biodiversity and the project would destroy the same. Therefore EC is mandatory for the project,” Palkar stated while condemning the Centre for bending the laws just to please the project proponent. “We are not going to keep quiet and we will fight the project tooth and nail till it is scrapped,” Palkar said and informed that in the coming days they are going to mobilize more support for the agitation as this project affects not only Nauxim but 13 villages in total.
GAM member Prof Ramrao Wagh condemned the Centre for bending the law as it suits them.
“Ten years ago, the project required an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report but now just by a stroke of a pen they have struck off this condition which shows that the powers that be will go to any extent to please the crony capitalists,” Wagh stated. Wagh then condemned the statements of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant wherein he stated that people wanted the project.“Let the CM come here and tell us who wants this project. He just cannot make vague statements,” Wagh said.
“This is nothing but an attempt to wipe off the entire Nauxim village which we are not going to allow,” he stated and challenged the authorities concerned to have a dialogue with the villagers on the issue. “We are ready to debate with the authorities on why the project is detrimental to the environment, ecology and the livelihood of traditional fishermen,” he stated.
Wagh further stated that they will now re-activate the entire GAM group which consists of over 200 members and chalk out the future course of action. Former Curca sarpanch Prakash Sawant warned the government that a large number of people will hit the streets against the project as it will prove to be doomsday for the villages located along the Zuari bay.
“We have been agitating for several years against the project but this time we are going to ensure that the project is scrapped once and for all,” Sawant said.
Fishermen protest
A local fisherman Shankar Adkonkar said that the majority of the Nauxim locals are living off this traditional fishing activity.
“I request CM Pramod Sawant not to displace us from this place by bringing in the marina as this village was preserved for us by our forefathers,” Adkonkar said.
Pointing out the environmental damage that will occur due to the marina project, activist Elsa Fernandes informed that the project is planned in the river.
'EIA is mandatory'
“The river bank of over 1 lakh square meters will be filled and the building will be constructed,” Fernandes informed and added that EIA was mandatory.
“Now that the government has waived off EIA, the question arises whether the project has changed, which is not the case. Therefore, it is a known fact that the river will be destroyed for the project and those living in the vicinity will be directly affected,” Fernandes pointed out.
Others who spoke included Aruna Wagh, activist Anthony D’Silva, Govind Shirodkar, Palajia Raposo, Dilip Kankonkar and others.
