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Concerned about region, not protesters: Goa CM on infra projects
Sawant’s comments come a day after he had alleged that ”external forces” were fuelling the protests by locals against the government’s plans for three linear infrastructure projects
A day after claiming that the state was a victim of propaganda by “external forces”, Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Friday reiterated that his government was committed to the conservation of biodiversity-rich regions like the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mollem National Park. He said he was was “more concerned” about protecting the region than those protesting against projects there.
Sawant’s comments come a day after he had alleged that ”external forces” were fuelling the protests by locals against the government’s plans for three linear infrastructure projects -- railway and highway expansion as well as a fresh power line cutting through the Western Ghats and protected sanctuaries.
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“Today, Mollem has become not just nationally but internationally famous for various reasons.We wish to tell everyone that we are more concerned about Mollem, Goa and to save Mollem, the people of Goa are more than enough,” Sawant said.
“If we preserve our treasures, like the Dudhsagar waterfall and the Mahadev temple, and show them to people, we can reap the benefits by attracting tourists,” he said.
On Thursday, even as there has been nationwide pushback against international celebrities tweeting in support of the farmers’ protests on Delhi borders, Sawant had said, “Goa has been a victim of propaganda for the past several months, which has been significantly fuelled by external forces. Some of the Opposition parties in Goa have also been motivating such external forces to create an unrest in the state. No propaganda shall derail our sincere efforts towards building a progressive state.”
Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary -- Goa’s oldest wildlife sanctuary declared as protected back in 1967, that was later bifurcated to carve out the Mollem National Park --is spread over 240 square kilometres of Western Ghats forest and includes attractions like the Dudhsagar Waterfall, a multi-tiered waterfall among the highest in the country, and the 12th century Mahadev Temple of Tambdi Surla.
The standing committee of the ministry of environment and forests in April last year granted its approval to the diversion of forest land from notified wildlife sanctuaries in Mollem along Goa’s eastern frontier with Karnataka for three projects -- the doubling of an existing railway line between Hubli in Karnataka and Vasco da Gama in Goa, the expansion of the National Highway 4A between Belgaum in North Karnataka and Goa and a power line. The approvals were met with demands that the projects be scrapped.
