Save Western Ghats Movement roots for Goa Western Ghats on UNESCO list

PONDA: Save Western Ghats movement (SWGM) has extended its support to Goa's demand to get its section of Western ghats on UNESCO's list of world heritage sites.

The decision was taken at a two-day meeting to commemorate 25 years of SWGM which concluded on Sunday at Marcaim. The event was hosted by the Kundaim based Peaceful Society.

The UNESCO list of world heritage sites had no mention of Goa, even as it has listed 39 sites in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Once Goa's Western ghats section gets recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO, the Western Ghats, Goa sector, would be in the focus of national and international attention, which would help protect forests in the region, Sudhendru Sharma, environmental journalist said.

The meeting also supported the Gadgil committee report that came into existence following sustained campaign by the SWGM.

The 108 participants, who came from Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala resolved to take the findings and recommendations of the Gadgil committee report to the village communities to get the gram sabhas to adopt resolutions in support of the report.

Pandurang Hegde of Chipko movement from Shimoga, said the Gadgil report cannot reach common people as it is in English and demanded that it should be translated in regional languages of five states from the Western Ghat regions.

The meeting concluded with a resolve to continue with the struggle to save the Western Ghats. tnn