PANAJI
The Goa Bachao Abhiyan which successfully led an agitation against the then Regional Plan 2011 has come out strongly against the move to modify the jurisdictions of the National Green Tribunal to bring Goa under the jurisdiction of the principal bench at New Delhi calling the move mischievous. An enraged GBA has, in a strongly worded note has termed it as removing the statehood of Goa and as part of a devious plan to push through projects .
"In a demonstration of the worst possible and arbitrary manipulation directly against the people and the spirit of the Constitution, the MOEF has removed Goa from the Western Region jurisdiction of the National Green Tribunal and placed it directly under the Northern Zone jurisdiction in Delhi. This move is akin to ignoring and removal of Statehood status of Goa, and placing it directly under control of the Centre once again," a statement jointly signed by the Goa Bachao Abhiyan Convenor Sabina Martins and Secretary Reboni Saha has said.
"The illogical manner in which this has been done bodes ill for Goa, as it surely has been done to stop Goans from accessing environmental justice in a way that was affordable to them, and pave the way for massive planned projects that seek to damage Goa in ways we have not imagined," the GBA said.
The GBA has urged the citizens of Goa to make their displeasure known to the Minister for Environment & Forests and clearly let their local elected representatives know this is unacceptable.
"Issues like pollution, coastal zone and forest violations were increasingly taken up by locals who were emboldened by its seemingly incorruptible and logical methods, arguing cases for themselves or their villages using documents and affidavits, often with help from legal advisors in Goa," the GBA said.
