PANAJI: In an open letter to the chief minister Pramod Sawant, youth from Goa have expressed their extreme dissatisfaction over the clearing of three projects in Mollem. They said that the government is “of the people, by the people and for the people, and should do something— which will put an end to this madness and stop selling Goa.”
“Who shall I vote for in the next elections? For those who killed my state or the youth who fought for it?” asked Leander Fernandes, a student from Sao José De Areal, who along with his colleagues, made a film on Mollem.
Several responses from youth have been coming through soon after Sawant was heard on electronic media claiming that late chief minister Manohar Parrikar was not against railway double-tracking, and after a meeting with Nilesh Cabral, the power and environment.
Eric D’Souza, a young person from Duler, added that the ministers have simply been dodging the questions. “We still haven’t received anything concrete,” he said.
Nikita Bragança, another student volunteer for Mollem, stated that holding meetings with the youth “without revoking clearances won’t help as PR stunts for the government”.
She added that as youth of Goa “we demand that these projects that cause harm to our environment be revoked and only then will we be ready and willing to have a discussion. We will no longer partake in your pretense of discussing these projects while the government says they will go ahead with these projects.”
“It’s time we stop talking and start acting. Enough of empty assurances. How does it hold good that at one side the government is telling us they are with us and the other side the destructive work is going on full swing? Its time we Youth Rise as One Goa”, stated Neha Gaude.
“How much patience does the government expect the youth to have?” asked Romeo Dias, a youngster from Nagoa.