Panaji, Goa Progress Party chief Vijay Sardesai on Wednesday questioned the readiness of the state government to deal with the potential impact of a Super El Niño event, alleging that the administration was focusing on propaganda campaigns while ignoring the looming climate emergency.
In a post on social media platform
He suggested that the Goa government conduct a state-level assessment of water availability and reservoir levels.
“The Center has raised alarm bells that a super El Niño could severely impact large parts of India including Goa. For our debt-laden state, this could mean water shortages, crop loss, forest fires, heatwaves, falling groundwater levels, rising energy demand, reduced fishing catches and serious public health risks,” Sardesai said.
The former deputy chief minister has asked the government to unveil a ‘Super El Niño Preparedness Plan’, urging it to immediately assess water availability statewide. He also sought emergency plans for drought-affected farmers, including consultations on alternative crops and compensation packages, along with a heat action plan that includes public cooling centers and emergency medical response systems.
The GFP leader also called for strengthening forest fire monitoring and rapid response teams, taking measures to ensure drinking water security in vulnerable villages, and taking steps to protect fishermen and coastal communities from climate-related disturbances.
He said hospitals and primary health care centers must be prepared to deal with heat-related illnesses and droughts, while groundwater conservation and rainwater harvesting initiatives should be launched before the situation worsens.
“Super El Niño is not a political issue; it is a threat to lives, livelihoods and the future of Goa. Governance is about anticipating crises, not responding after disasters strike,” he added.
According to reports, climate models confirm that a strong El Niño is actively developing, with meteorologists estimating a 40% chance that it will develop into a rare and severe “super El Niño,” which is an extreme rise in temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean that triggers simultaneous extreme events around the world such as severe droughts, floods and unprecedented heatwaves.
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