Thanks to Eddie Fernandes of http://goanvoice.org.uk for pointing to this link. --FN
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/yorknews/display.var.1099399.0.nature_charity_off_to_paradise.php Nature charity off to paradise By Mike Laycock Comment | Read Comments (4) Gordon Campbell-Thomas in the St Nicholas Fields Nature Reserve in Tang Hall, York IT was set up in memory of a York environmentalist, John Lally, who died 12 years ago. Now the John Lally International Foundation is set to restore a piece of paradise lost in Goa, India, after winning a £10,000 lottery grant. The money will fund a feasibility study into plans to clear a rubbish tip situated near a tourist resort called Saligao. It will also look into planting a community woodland, creating new recycling facilities and setting up India's first sustainable community centre, as well as investigating the possibilities of providing free health education to local people, especially on HIV/Aids prevention. The project is intended to follow the precedent set by St Nicholas Fields Nature Reserve in Tang Hall, which was created out of a disused rubbish tip and later won praise from Tony Blair as "an example of sustainable community action". York environmentalist Gordon Campbell-Thomas, who co-ordinated the St Nicholas Fields project for a decade from 1994 before moving to Goa in 2004, is behind the new Indian proposals. Foundation chairperson Sandy Jaffries said he was "ecstatically happy" with the award from the BIG Lottery Fund. "Goa is seen by many as a holiday haven, where sun, sand and sea beckon the tourist," he said. Advertisement continued... The UK Postcode Lottery now in Yorkshire "However there is another side that tourists don't see, that is the degradation of the green Goan land that is not only causing problems now, but is piling up problems for future generations. The current site lying on a hill plateau is being spoilt by unchecked dumping of mixed garbage from the mainly tourist areas of Calangute and Saligao. The problem lies in the fact that there is no real segregation of the waste, and that the rising numbers of tourists are putting increased pressure on the limited resources available there. "We made a positive impact in York, and I believe that we will have a similar impact in Goa." He said that the foundation had grown some years ago out of a group known as Friends of John Lally Wood, which had planted a five-acre community woodland in memory of Mr Lally at St Nicholas Fields. "However, not satisfied with stopping there, they went on to form the John Lally International Foundation three years ago to continue the work started at St Nicholas Fields on the international stage." Now I am all for conservation and cleaning places up but Goa! Lottery money going to another country on a feasibility study! Should it not be a case of sorting our own house before trying to sort anothers. India and China have the fastest growing economies in the World and we are cleaning their tourist resorts.....something not quite right me thinks when you look at the cr*p and disorder in our own little City. Quote | Report this post Posted by: wiseowl on 9:52pm Wed 3 Jan 07 Another lottery grant - oh dear is it not time someone started to investigate Mr C. Another lottery grant - oh dear is it not time someone started to investigate Mr C. Quote | Report this post Posted by: friend of St Nick's on 9:26am today how short-sighted and self-centred are you? why don't you start and do something yourself before criticising others who even did "sort out their own house" if you've read the article well... how short-sighted and self-centred are you? why don't you start and do something yourself before criticising others who even did "sort out their own house" if you've read the article well... Quote | Report this post Posted by: Bill Shaw on 2:14pm today Much of the tourism rubbish is created by Britons on holiday so its the pollutor paying albeit very indirectly. We must help show the way to other countries where we have proved that there are better ways to manage our environment.This project deserves support much more than the millions we Britons spend on subsidising the arms trade with dodgy dictators and governments that have very poor human rights records. Much of the tourism rubbish is created by Britons on holiday so its the pollutor paying albeit very indirectly. We must help show the way to other countries where we have proved that there are better ways to manage our environment.This project deserves support much more than the millions we Britons spend on subsidising the arms trade with dodgy dictators and governments that have very poor human rights records. -- FN M: 0091 9822122436 P: +91-832-240-9490 (after 1300IST please) http://fn.goa-india.org http://fredericknoronha.wordpress.com _______________________________________________ Saligao 403511 website http://saligao.goa-india.org Saligaonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goacom.org/mailman/listinfo/saligaonet
