Goa: Stop tampering with nature, locals caution authorities

As the pristine Mobor-Cavelossim beach belt lay devastated by last week’s sea erosion, local villagers have cautioned that Mobor will be wiped out one day if the government authorities do not stop tampering with nature and default in cracking a whip against those destroying sand dunes and tree cover.

Local villagers led by social activist and panch member Adv Irish Passainha visited Mobor stretch of the beach, where the Arabian Sea meets the river Sal and saw the devastation caused to the coastline by the sea erosion.

A visibly agitated Passainha pointed accusing fingers at the government authorities for lack of commitment in protecting the fragile area from destruction. “We had complained to the authorities last month, right from the district Collector to the Goa State Coastal Zone Management Authority to inspect the burning of tree and destruction of the sand dune at Mobor. Sadly, none of the authorities have made time to inspect the area till date,” Passainha said.

He added: “We hope that at least now, the authorities will wake up from deep slumber and inspect the Mobor coast washed away by the sea erosion. This has happened because the people have tampered with nature.”

Slamming the authorities for constructing a wall and road along the coast in the recent past, Passainha said, “We should not tamper with nature. Let nature fend for itself. Walls and roads are not a solution to sea erosion.”

Recalling that the Fisheries department had drawn up plans in the recent past to build a training wall at the river Sal mouth to act as a breakwater facility for the passage of fishing vessels, Passainha said even environmentalist Dr Antonio Mascarenhas had expressed reservations over the training wall proposal, since instances are galore how these walls have resulted in erosion of the coastline.

Expressing their resolve to protect the Mobor coast from further destruction, Passainha said the people are even ready to knock the doors of the Supreme Court for justice. “What we are demanding today is preventive measures to ensure that the sand dunes and trees are not cut down. If this is not done, the day is not far when part of Mobor will be submerged in the sea and river,” he cautioned, while requesting the government to conduct a survey of the Mobor-Cavelossim coastline on priority