Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has strongly condemned the BJP-led Central Government’s proposal to establish a nuclear power plant in Goa, calling it a “reckless” and “unacceptable” move that endangers the state’s ecology, economy, and public safety.
Reacting sharply to a recent proposal by Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, GPCC President Amit Patkar issued a press statement on Monday, stating that Goa is not a “dumping ground for the BJP’s dangerous experiments.” Patkar accused the ruling party of trampling on Goa’s legacy and natural wealth in the name of development.
“Goa is an ecological jewel — home to the Western Ghats, vibrant biodiversity, and livelihoods rooted in tourism and fishing,” said Patkar. “A nuclear facility in this fragile region is scientifically unsound, environmentally disastrous, and socially unacceptable.”
Patkar cited global nuclear disasters such as Chernobyl and Fukushima to highlight the risks, stating that Goa lacks the land mass, water resources, and disaster-response infrastructure required to handle a nuclear emergency. He warned that a single mishap could devastate lives and irreversibly damage the state’s natural assets.
Criticizing the BJP’s development policies, the GPCC chief alleged that the party had already caused significant harm through deforestation, illegal land acquisitions, and disruptive infrastructure projects. “Now they want to impose a radioactive threat on our future,” he said.
Patkar further questioned the rationale behind promoting nuclear energy, labeling it “outdated” and “hazardous,” especially when cleaner and renewable energy alternatives are available.
Calling the proposal a “politically sinister assault on Goa’s autonomy,” he warned that the Congress would resist the move with full force. “If the Centre proceeds with this plan, we will launch a mass statewide agitation — from the Assembly to the streets to the courts,” he declared.
Urging Goans across political affiliations to unite against the plan, Patkar concluded, “Goa is not BJP’s laboratory. We will fight — and we will protect our motherland.”
