Call for comprehensive defence of Goa's rivers

Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM) calls for comprehensive defence of all the Rivers of Goa, including Tributaries and Catchment areas, as their health is well being of fishermen. BMM notes trends threatening Goa’s rivers and fishing. Declaration of Goa’s six rivers as National Inland Waterways and Sagarmala project are the two major dangers confronting Goa. Both have their origin with Indian government’s Ministry of Shipping headed by Nitin Gadkari. BMM notes that what harm Indian government is intending to do to Goa is already been done by European colonisers in New Zealand towards the natives - the Maoris.

BMM calls upon Fisheries Minister Mr. Palyenkar and Ports Minister Jayesh Salgaonkar to get their mind on the March 2017 law in defence of river Whanaganui passed in the Parliament of New Zealand before major catastrophe unleashes on Goa. After battling for 140 years in March 2017 law known as Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act 2017 was passed in which acknowledgment of damage to river and people included. Crown apology has been extended to erecting of Jetties, Clearing of River for Navigation purposes, Control and sale of river gravel and shingle, Acquisition of land on river bank and use of river as “highway”. The National Inland waterways status for Goa’s six rivers and Sagarmala project is a death warrant to fishermen and ecology of Goa through dredging and new Jetty constructions.

Further Goa Government and Central Government with Corporate nexus have colluded to shift Goa’s jurisdiction at National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench from Pune to Delhi. All these three combined coupled with State’s attempts to acquire land for Corporate benefits makes Goa a colony marked for massive intolerable abuse of people and ecology.

Nearly 200 years ago on 01^st January 1818 five hundred Indian Mahars soldiers in British Army pulled down rule of Peshwayee in Pune. BMM infers that this memory is the reason India and Goa Government has shifted NGT jurisdiction to Delhi lest it becomes inspiration for Goans to revolt. All this because anti-environment projects are getting stalled? This is cheating. This action will be continuously opposed by fishermen and others like Maoris did in New Zealand.