Panaji: Retired government employees extended support for Justice Ferdin Rebello’s ‘Enough is Enough’ movement, raising concerns over environmental degradation and the functioning of administrative checks and balances.
Alvito D’Silva, a retired assistant director from the Directorate of Technical Education with 34 years of government service, said he was opposed to large-scale construction and permissions granted for tree cutting.
“I worked for three years in the Agriculture Department and for 31 years in technical education. I question the role of the Forest Department in granting permissions to fell trees instead of focusing on plantation,” he said.
As chairman of Pomburpa-Olaulim Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) D’Silva said he regularly received copies of permissions for tree cutting and observed that trees were being felled in densely forested areas and private forests. He also referred to recurring fires between February and March. “Both the ruling and opposition parties are working together, resulting in mining activity, real estate development and the spread of casinos, which are affecting the state’s environment and road traffic,” he said, adding that the opposition was not effectively raising issues concerning public welfare
Ganpat Sidhaye, a retired Public Works Department employee and chairman of the BMC committee of Penha de Franca, referred to the preparation of the first Regional Plan and said builders had approached village committee members claiming they could proceed with projects irrespective of objections.
Sidhaye said checks and balances had weakened and referred to provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act, including Sections 39A and 17(2), stating that they were implemented without impact studies.
He cited the incident at Arpora involving the sarpanch and secretary as an example of administrative failure. “Officers should not remain silent and should oppose laws they believed are improper,” Sidhaye said.
The general secretary of the All Goa Government Employees Association said officers often remained silent due to fear of harassment by ministers. He called upon officers to expose corruption and guide the public, and referred to the Chimbel protest against the Unity Mall project as an example of sustained public opposition leading to change. He urged officers not to fear transfers for speaking out.
