Attn: Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Mr. Jairam Ramesh
March 4, 2010 Dear Honourable Minister, Re: Moratorium on Mining in Goa As a Goan and a concerned citizen of India, I would likely to gratefully acknowledge and thank you for your stellar decision and mandate in imposing a moratorium on mining in Goa at the recent meeting in Kotagiri. This is truly a landmark decision on your part and a step in the right direction for the work that still needs to be done before it’s too late. While this is the culmination of a lot of work, sacrifices and activitism on the part of a huge number of Goans, we would like to thank you for taking the right step forward in the capacity of Union Minister for Environment and Forests. There is an urgency to protect the fragile eco-environment in Goa as the destruction continues which will have long lasting and irreversible damaging impacts on our Environment, climate and consequently the quality of life. We need to prioritise on the conservation of Goa’s unique Environment and Ecology and subsequently the multitude of plant, agricultural, forest and marine species that abound in our Goan forests and villages that are under attack due to the accelerated Mining or risk decimating the Goan Ecology which would accelerate climate change and destroy our Environment. The Bio-diverse ecosystems in the hinterland of Goa as well as the coastal belt and the mountainous regions, along with its waterways serve as an important part of the Goan Environment and the custodians of biodiverse resources are the tribal and rural communities, farmers and fisherfolk and indigenous population. Refocussing research and development priorities and promoting biodiversity through public education to build an ethic of conservation rather than destroying our Natural Environment is the pressing need of the hour. As our Honourable Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, you have pledged to take forward these wonderful ideas and do your best to integrate climate change and mitigation strategies with biodiversity conservation in both national policy and in international discussion in Mexico later this year. 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and we trust that your commitment will bear well for Goa, India and our World. Hence your recent leadership role as the Union Minister for Environment at the recent meeting in Kotagiri, wherein you took the decision to issue a moratorium on the mining industry in Goa following the presentations by Carmen Miranda, Claude Alvares and others is highly appreciated by all Goans and like-minded people in India and all over the world. Your bold and courageous decision has been well received by Goans and Indians and we thank you for taking your leadership role in the right direction. The common man in Goa has long suffered by the vested interests of certain groups as a result of the Mining industry and the Real Estate Lobby all out to make a quick buck given the huge demand from certain quarters and other countries for our natural beauty, resources and wealth. Without considering the long term and negative and adverse impacts we have seen how these industries have sought to exploit Goa’s natural resources, her mineral wealth while denuding and destroying our forests, polluting our rivers, destroying our Khazan lands and Goan villages and razing our hills. The work is not over Honourable Minister – we need to have stringent checks and balances to ensure that the Mining Industry in Goa operates within the environmental and ecological guidelines, does not damage our fragile eco-systems in their greed and eagerness to exploit our Mineral Wealth. Intimidation, harassment and criminal activities perpetrated against the Goan villagers and Tribal communities in the mining belt continue and the sufferings of the Goan people in this context are immense. Finally the people of Goa need to be made inclusive in the democratic and participatory planning for sustainable, equitable, economically and ecologically sound development that retains the basic physical [hydro-geological], environmental, social, ethical, political and cultural characteristics of Goa that has drawn humanity to it across the generations for its greenery, tranquillity and way of life beyond mere existence and monetary net worth. Your decision will have a tremendous and powerful impact for Goa and we laud your for it but there is still a great deal of work to be done moving forward. All Goans are aware of your actions on our behalf, and are grateful to you and fully support you in this regard and thank you for this. Sincerely, Roger D’Souza
