Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Whilst strongly condemning the Pramod Sawant government for blindly implementing projects ordered by the Centre even in the face of strong opposition from the people, Goencho Avaaz said it was hardly surprising from a Chief Minister who uses nationalism and patriotism to promote undisguised crony capitalism by claiming that double tracking is important for “defence strategic reasons”.
“It is utterly reprehensible that venerated and wholesome concepts like nationalism and patriotism are devalued and used as a justification for executing the wholesale and systematic destruction of Goa,” said Capt Variato
He further said that is it ‘nationalism’ when a government betrays its own state by instructing the advocate not to oppose notification of the Mhadei Tribunal Award in the Mhadei River diversion matter in the Supreme Court?
“This intentional and cold blooded action on the part of the Government in gifting an invaluable and increasingly scarce community resource of water to a neighbouring state at the cost of its own people, will undoubtedly have very serious and irrevocable repercussions on the state of Goa and the well being of its people,” he added
The NGO further said that Pramod Sawant government’s totally arbitrary and adhoc manner of functioning and its brazen implementation of destructive infrastructural projects for the benefit of vested corporate interests, come at unaffordable cost to the public exchequer and community resources of the State.
In a democracy, the Government must address issues raised by concerned citizens regarding massive projects involving vast tracts of community resources and valuable agricultural land, displacement of people and destruction of heritage structures and people’s livelihood. However, although citizen groups have made numerous attempts to debate and dialogue with the Pramod Sawant government even providing expert studies and scientific evidence for some years now, they have been met with stony silence and repressive measures that undermine the constitutional right of the citizens to protest.
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