<p>Inaugurating a conference on local self-government for sustainable and safe cities, hosted by the Delhi-based All India Institute of Local Self-Government, Sidhu not only voiced serious concern about environmental degradation in Goa, but also raised a red flag about the threat to the state's beaches, which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. <br /><br />"A coastal state like Goa has serious challenges of climatic change due to which there is a rise in sea water level," he said, warning of the dangers of such a scenario.<br />Sidhu cautioned against the increasing levels of contamination of ground water, which did not bode well for the small state. Both issues - soil erosion and contamination of ground water - have been major concerns for the coastal state which banks heavily on tourism for revenue.<br /><br />According to data presented in the state legislative assembly during the recent monsoon session, more than 10 per cent of the state's beaches have already been eroded due to global warming and the consequent rise in sea water levels. <br />Goa's most popular beach stretch from Calangute to Candolim has already seen massive erosion thanks to the presence of cargo ship MV River Princess, which had beached at the shore nearly a decade ago.</p>
<p>Inaugurating a conference on local self-government for sustainable and safe cities, hosted by the Delhi-based All India Institute of Local Self-Government, Sidhu not only voiced serious concern about environmental degradation in Goa, but also raised a red flag about the threat to the state's beaches, which attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. <br /><br />"A coastal state like Goa has serious challenges of climatic change due to which there is a rise in sea water level," he said, warning of the dangers of such a scenario.<br />Sidhu cautioned against the increasing levels of contamination of ground water, which did not bode well for the small state. Both issues - soil erosion and contamination of ground water - have been major concerns for the coastal state which banks heavily on tourism for revenue.<br /><br />According to data presented in the state legislative assembly during the recent monsoon session, more than 10 per cent of the state's beaches have already been eroded due to global warming and the consequent rise in sea water levels. <br />Goa's most popular beach stretch from Calangute to Candolim has already seen massive erosion thanks to the presence of cargo ship MV River Princess, which had beached at the shore nearly a decade ago.</p>
