NT NETWORK

Margao

The  Congress legislator of  Curtorim  Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco on  Thursday urged the  Union  government and the Minister for Environment not to allow the destruction of  Goa’s  sanctuaries and  national parks,  to  facilitate ‘developmental projects’.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, and copies forwarded to the  Union Minister for Environment  and Railways, Lourenco said, “Videos being made viral that Goa’s Bhagwan Mahavir  Sanctuary and  Mollem park  has been stripped of green cover during the lockdown days.’’ he added.

 He further pointed out that one of the controversial Akola – Hubballi railway line and the clearance for it has begun on the Goa side of the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary and Karnataka’s Dandeli sanctuary. The double Hospet – Tianighat Vasco line will pass through these sanctuaries, he added.

Lourenco had earlier written to the  central government  urging  them to  withdraw the  invocation of  railways  act to forcibly acquire land for Hospet  Vasco double tracking project of South Western railway.   “Goans demand to know how during the lockdown days the Union Minister Prakash Javadekar could hurriedly give clearance for stripping the forest of Bhagwan Mahavir sanctuary and Mollem national park, which is believed to be the home to buffalo herders.   Environment day celebration will have no meaning if the government fails to protect and preserve our national parks” he said.