Panaji, Nov 27 (IANS): Goa Leader of Opposition (LoP) Yuri Alemao on Monday said that the report on soil erosion by IIT-Bombay is a warning bell for the BJP government and hence it should rethink on destructive three linear projects.

The three linear projects- double tracking of rail line from Karnataka’s Hospet to Vasco in Goa, laying down a 400 kv power transmission line and widening of highway between Karnataka and Goa, were opposed by people as they were passing through Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park.

“A Study Report by IIT – Bombay shows the picturesque UNESCO World Heritage Site of 1600 kilometres long Western Ghats Region (WGR), one of the 35 Biodiversity Hotspots on the planet earth, is plagued with heavy and rapid soil erosion. This is one more ‘Warning Bell’ for the BJP Government to rethink on destructive three linear Projects,” Yuri Alemao pointed out.

Reacting to the a recent study by Prof Pennan Chinnasamy and Vaishnavi Honap, at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), revealing rapidly increasing soil erosion in the WGR, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said that this data needs to be studied and corrective measures needs to be taken on war footing basis by the Goa government.

“I urge the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to invite the team of IIT-Bombay to give a presentation to all the members of the Goa Legislative Assembly and environmental activists. We have lost Mhadei, if we fail to act now we will lose biodiversity rich Western Ghats which will eventually convert Goa into a desert,” Alemao said.

He said that the BJP governments policies are anti-environment and pro-capitalists.

He said that it is only because of the efforts of the NGOs and activists that the identity of Goa remains protected.

“Goans will always remain indebted to the NGOs and activists for their hard work and efforts to save Goa from destructive policies of the BJP government,” Yuri Alemao said.