Goa Mollem Protests I The Fight Against Coal I

Do you know ? the police beat up some people simply in goa because they were wearing "SAVE MOLLEM" print T shirt.

A few days ago, we saw a very strange visual from Goa that 3000 peoples came together to sit at a railway line. we know......that you don't know about it because our national media did not talk much about it.

Thousands of peoples have been protesting in Goa for the last several months about a critical environment issue with their mollem national park.Goa liberation day is celebrated on 19 December because it marks the day India armed forces freed Goa in 1961 following 450 years of portuguese rule.On 19th December 2020, a few protesters in Goa stood by wearing "SAVE MOLLEM" print T shirt. There were also some Childrens who were doning the protest with the "save mollem" posters, but the police caught them all and detained to protest.

Lets come find out the main reason behind the protest.

What Is Happening In Goa ?

If you also think this fight is against development v/s nature, then this page is change your mind because this is not just about the environment, this is about our future !

In simple words, the government wants to cut down the forests in the ecologically sensitive areas in the name of development, without any public opinion. And in this case it is an ecologically sensitive areas , Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife centuary and Mollem National Park, the pride of Goa which spills across 240 square Kilometers into the western ghats and it comes in eight of the world's hottest hotspot of biodiversity. that is, a very high variety of plant and animals life is found here in a very small place of world. there are also many great tourism attraction here like dudhsagar waterfall, devil canyon and a temple which is very popular destination for tourism is Tambi Surla Temple.

Dudhsagar Waterfall:

Devil Canyon:

Tambi Surla Temple:

So, what does the government want to develop, There are three projects passes by govt:

1.Double tracking an existing Railway line

2.Four Laning of the existing NH-4A

3.Laying a 400KV transmission line

Mollem natinal park and bhagwan mahaveer sanctuary are in danger because these three projects go through the middle of the wildlife sanctuary, which will look something like this if you look at the map graphically.....

Is This Development Only To Earn Profit From Coal ?

Indian activists oppose plans to make Goa a coal, It is said that the additional railway line will be used to transport coal imported into Goa's Mormugao post to north Karnataka's steel and power plants, the government Denies it.

Goa has a dark relationship with coal that private companies import coal from Goa's ports 25 million tones. when this coal is transported by truck, rail or by water and a blue tarpaulin sheet covers the coal to protect it whenever the wind blows, the tarpaulin sheets moves and the coal dust creates just pollution in the areas. In facts, Goa's Ex CM late Manohar Parrikar had opposed the same projects in 2013.

And i quote "we are not any permission for the double tracking " he said adding that the proposal of increasing the tracks was mooted at the behest of few industries which want to transport coal from mormugao port trust.think about this in a long term the whole world is ditching coal and moving to renewables.

Environmental Damage:

You must see this photo:

This is Goa's Dudhsagar waterfall, that is the most famous attraction of the Bhagwan mahaveer sanctuary but how would it feel if all the greenery around this waterfall vanished in one go?

Let me explain the concept of forest fragmentation when you divide a forest into smaller fragments or parts it increase the number of edge where forests are exposed. many species live deep in the forests and not in the fringes many cant't survive in these fragmented edges and this fragmentation impacts the entire forest ecosystem, the western ghat are even older than the Himalayas 150 million year old biodiversity Hotspot:-

128 species of plants

219 species of butterflies

235 species of birds and more!

These three projects divide the forest into 4 fragmented parts, In a forest every small things is dependent on the others, it is an ecosystem where all parts work together because of this huge intervention the entire forest gets completely disrupted.Secondly, Goa's panchayat act gives power to local bodies to decide what construction should happen in their areas but the Panchayat permission has not been taken for these projects.These projects got virtual clearance during the lockdown so there has been no public consulatation and that is wrong.

Why Goans Protesting To Save Mollem ?

The govt has planned three large infrastructure projects through the mountain wildlife sanctuary and national park which are laying off a 400 kilowatt transmission line widening of the national highway as well as doubling of the railway track which passes through this national park.It's already cut over 2700 trees in violation of a supreme court order and it is said to cut a lot more of these projects are passed, these projects will fragment the forest into four different parts adversely affecting the wildlife that lives there as well as the people living close to these protected areas well as it will also facilitate handling of more coal in Goa which will have a number of health implications and just a couple of days back .these projects on ground which were attended by 5000 plus people to protest against the laying of the double track at Sandor.

150 scientists have written representations to the govt, 400 medical students have written in 100 business owners in Goa gowas primary tourism association the travel and tourism association of Goa has written to the govt to say that we are all in opposition of these projects mainly because of the problems it will create not only for tourism not only for livelihoods from ground the forest not only for peoples who live in Goa whose homes will be destroyed from the railway track that will be moving through them and the highway expansion, so there's quite that opposition for the past month and we have written all sorts of formal representations but they have not been considered and therefore out of desperation people have come out on the streets in the middle of the pandemic.

Today Goa is not just supposed to be a vacation for everyone else in india, everyone should come and speak up about what is happening over here and about how the people have been fighting these three projects.Are these projects actually needed by peoples in Goa quite likely not, we do not need Goa to become a coal hub, turning Goa into a coal hub is so detrimental for its tourism is detrimental for the future of cohen's themselves and think the govt is not listening to us at all.Everyone needs to speak up the need to support the cause because Tomorrow if you all want to come to Goa for a getaway or if you all want to enjoy the biodiversity, the forest , the beaches and the waterfalls here you won't be able to if these projects are passed and if these projects take place here.

But if you believe in calling out wrongs & acknowledging the right then share this page with your open minded friends.

What we can do ?

May be need to show them that the environment matters to us, Goa's real heritage is its nature and this nature is till unexplored even today. If we don't do anything now, Goa will slowly only become a state known for coal transportation.

Please, I requested to you

help us to reach maximum people with this page or article

share this page, because if we can go to Goa and make vlogs, we can use its natural beauty for likes so then we can also do one small thing to save its natural beauty........

Beauty of Goa: