Goa may go Kerala way, warns ecologist

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Panaji, Aug. 19: Noted ecologist Madhav Gadgil has warned Goa may face the same fate as the floodbattered Kerala if it does not take precautions on the environmental front.

Like in some other states, Goa, too, is witnessing activities which are driven by greed for unlimited profits, said Mr Gadgil, who headed a committee that authored a widely debated study on the Western Ghats a few years ago.

“Certainly all sorts of problems are beginning to surface on the environmental front in the Western Ghats. Goa, of course, does not have Western Ghats which are so high as in Kerala, but I am sure Goa will also experience all sorts of problems,” he said, reacting to the worst- ever floods in the southern state.

He said the reason for not taking any environmental precaution ( in general) is purely greed for unlimited profits.

“You have seen it in Goa too. The Union governmentconstituted Justice M. B. Shah Commission has estimated illegal profits

‘ Goa, of course, does not have Western Ghats which are so high as in Kerala, but I am sure Goa will also experience all sorts of problems,’ noted ecologist Madhav Gadgil said

of ` 35,000 crore from illegal mining,” he said.

“There is also enormous profit in the business of stone quarrying while there is very little investment,” he added while talking about rampant hill in the Western Ghats.

“The greed for enormous profits has been allowed to go on unchecked, which has actually worsened economic disparity in the society.

“So now those who are making money through these means are even more effective in getting the government allow this kind of rampant illegal behaviour,” Mr Gadgil said.

The ecologist said governments have been lax on implementing environmental norms.