The newly launched World GOAN network urges Goans to support this appeal. World GOAN network
***************************************************************************************** Dear Friends of Goa, The lack of waste management infrastructure for both hazardous and ordinary waste in Goa is shocking, shameful and, quite simply, inexcusable. Successive Goa governments have yet to take the problem seriously, and it is now reaching crisis proportions even as the tourism department continues to lure unsuspecting tourists for the upcoming season, and the government proceeds with plans to host IFFI, which will only compound the problem. Goa can no longer sustain this assault. Ever since the wall at a dump in the village of Curca collapsed last month, spewing filth into the village, villagers all over Goa have twigged onto the fact that the municipal garbage being indiscriminately dumped on plateaus, near water sources, and near residential areas is bad for them, and refuse to allow the cities of Panjim, Mapusa, Margao and Vasco to continue with this irresponsible practice. Meanwhile, garbage continues to accumulate all over the state, secretly dumped into ravines and along highways in the dead of night. Much of it is hazarous. There is no logical reason for the situation in which we find ourselves, particularly given the low density population of Goa. It is a situation is extremely dangerous to the health of the entire population as well as to visitors. If it continues, Goa will find itself in the position of Surat some years ago. Surat, if you recall, was so dirty that in 1994 it was struck with a Plague epidemic—a disease from the Dark Ages. The vector is usually rat fleas, and as we all know, where there is garbage, there are rats. Other diseases that occur under such conditions, particularly when water sources are contaminiated, none of them pleasant: e-coli, viral hepatitis, cryptosporadiosis, giardia infection. These diseases do not discriminate between rich and poor. Ministers and their families can contract them. And perhaps that is what is required for the government to wake up. But since Goa cannot afford to wait for that to happen, it is imperative that we hold elected officials accountable right now. Goa does, after all have a medical doctor as Deputy CM, who also holds the Environment portfolio. He and the rest of the Goa Government need to get to work pronto, and make this a priority. We encourage all Goans and Goa-lovers to get together and take action to force the Goa government to take this issue seriously. Contact MLAs and ministers; write to the editors of newspapers; get on the internet and warn tourism operators who promote Goa of the garbage crisis, contact TV stations like the BBC, bombard the Goa Government website, meet the Governor. Get out there and speak up on behalf of Goa. We need your help. Margaret Mascarenhas and Wendell Rodricks Find out more: Several local NGOs and individuals are working on solutions to the problem and have presented these to successive Goa governments. If you are interested in finding out more about these solutions, the following contacts will be useful: 1. Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660 Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/ Contact person: Roland Martins 2. Goa Foundation [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contact person: Claude Alvares 3. Wendell Rodricks, Director, Greenworks: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 4. Goa Environment Federation/ PMCA Contact person: Patricia Pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel 0832 2225493 (developed model unit for city composting) 5. Dean d'Cruz, (designed lowcost composting plant) Tel 0832 24098295 6. Alexandre Barbosa at Goa Today has written a comprehensive cover story on the problem in the Sept issue. For information contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contacts for turning up the heat: there are 3 easy ways you can help: 1. Write letters to the editor: Outlook: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tehelka: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sunday Midday: http://web.mid-day.com/includes/about_us.htm Hindustan Times: [EMAIL PROTECTED] The Week: [EMAIL PROTECTED] India Today: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Times of India: [EMAIL PROTECTED] IT Travel plus: [EMAIL PROTECTED] The Hindu: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Asian Age: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 2. Contact the Goa Government; http://goagovt.nic.in/admset.htm 3. Use net resources such as forum lists, groups, blogs to get the message out. 4. Send this letter to your friends and recruit their voices.
