Goemkarponn desk
Panaji:
Amche Mollem expressed amusement at the desperate gimmicks of Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Limited (GTTPL) in their endeavor to cover the destruction wreaked on Goa by their unwanted project. Does GTTPL seriously believe that Goans are credulous enough to swallow their incredible narrative that planting1000 trees in random locations such as church and communidade properties will compensate for the destruction of an entire forest and over 1,31,082 trees?
Julio Aguiar from Amche Mollem firmly asserted that such appeasement tactics carried out by GTTPL will not work with Goans. A Goa Foundation statement released to the media yesterday showed that GTTPL has already illegally felled 2,849 trees at Sangod and in total it is alleged that they have plans to cut 1,31,082 trees, which mostly fall in the bio-diversity Western Ghats region and its eco-sensitive areas. “Does GTTPL have plans to re-house them in Nagoa church, Colvale and Navelim villages?” he questioned.
“When GTTPL is destroying forests and is contributing significantly to the ruination of Goa, do they believe that Goans can be assuaged with the random afforestation plantation of 1000 trees? Asks Roshan Mathias, local activist.
“And what livelihood benefit is GTTPL official talking about with this afforestation drive? None of these trees will provide a living to any Goans who have been impacted by Tamnar’s 400KV high tension line project in their lifetimes. What about the flora, fauna and wildlife that reside in the eco-sensitive areas that are being destroyed by GTTPL?” queried Tribolo Souza, local activist from Mollem.
“I urge GTTPL to not to insult the intelligence of Goans. Given the scale of destruction that they are carrying out, we Goans will not be satisfied with their latest random gimmick that demonstrates an utter lack of thought and appears to be done only as token appeasement to hoodwink the people of Goa,” concluded Maria Gracias, resident of Agacim.
