In light of the devastating landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad, Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has termed the incident an “eye-opener” for the state, urging immediate action to protect ecologically sensitive areas.
Speaking during a discussion in the Assembly on Thursday, Sawant instructed various departments to refrain from disturbing regions prone to landslides.
“We cannot compromise on their stability,” Sawant declared, addressing concerns about “excessive development” in fragile ecological zones.
He announced plans to establish a systematic approach for reporting and monitoring hill-cutting activities across Goa.
The chief minister’s comments came in response to a calling attention motion raised by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Revolutionary Goans Party MLA Viresh Borkar, and BJP MLA Ganesh Gaonkar.
The motion highlighted fears that unplanned development in eco-sensitive areas, particularly in Dharbandora in the Western Ghats, could lead to similar disasters as seen in Wayanad.
Referencing a prior study, Sawant noted the identification of four landslide-prone hotspots in Goa, situated in both high-altitude regions in the northeast and low-lying areas in the west and southwest.
He attributed the primary causes of landslides to extreme rainfall events, slope instability, and geological factors. “Rainfall-triggered landslides are the most frequent,” he stated.
AAP MLA Venzy Viegas raised alarm over rampant hill-cutting in several areas, questioning the existence of checks and balances against illegal permissions.
“Do we have any checks and balances, especially if hill-cutting permissions are given in an illegal manner? How do we mitigate landslides? Are we willing to stop building hotels and houses by cutting hills? Does the government have a plan?” Viegas demanded.
In response, Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate assured the Assembly that development in ecologically sensitive areas, such as hilly regions with slopes exceeding 25 percent, low-lying paddy fields, khazan lands, forest lands, and mangroves, is strictly regulated.
He stressed that any necessary infrastructure projects must secure approvals from the relevant authorities, capable of evaluating potential impacts.
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