VASCO: Goencho Ekvott’s stand against the disastrous South Western Railway double tracking that is being illegally constructed through certain parts of Goa, stands vindicated.
In a press release, Goencho Ekvott stated that “their stand is vindicated by the report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to the Supreme Court which has outright rejected the Railway Double Tracking Project from Castlerock to Kulem, the Tamnar Project to be realigned through existing 110/220kV line corridor and the NH4A to be allowed, subject to Environment Clearance.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Due to the active connivance of some ruling party MLAs and their henchmen at various levels — public and private, despite huge public protests which were the result of sustained awareness campaign meetings conducted by Goencho Ekvott across the length and breadth of the State, the CEC has rejected the projects.
This is certainly excellent news for our fragile environment, the flora and fauna and the local people who are residents on both sides of the railway tracks, the release said further.
Goencho Ekvott “thanked The Goa Foundation and its directors Adv Norma Alvares and Dr Claude Alvares and their team of legal experts, our partners in the movement Captain Viriato Fernandes and his team at Goencho Avaaz, Dr Bolmax Pereira and his youth at Chicalim Youth Farmers Club, various youth Associations of Goa, Goencho Ekvott Overseas, Heritage Action Group of Goa, VACAD, GFDO, Goenche Rakhandar, Goenkar — Ek Pavl Echarachem, GAKUVED, Goenchea Ramponnkarancho Ekvott and various components of the fishing and local communities, and other organisations who stood by us in most difficult and trying times,” it added.
Furthermore, Goencho Ekvott thanked all those who worked tirelessly to prepare the database, the nearly one hundred village panchayats and their representatives who passed resolutions against Railway Double Tracking and movement of coal from MPT to the hinterland of Karnataka and Maharashtra by road, rail and rivers, all those who participated in the 73 awareness campaigns and 23 corner meetings for their wholehearted support.
The release also thanked the Goa Police and all those people who contributed their resources, time and efforts despite a raging COVID-19 pandemic across India.
“This is a decisive moment for the people of Goa who have shown their resilience that they cannot be bought off either by money power or threats from the corporates whose sole aim is to permanently convert Green Goa into a coal corridor for the transportation of coal for their power and steel plants based in the hinterland of Karnataka and Maharashtra,” the Goencho Ekvott release said further.
“Our people will always be indebted to the members of the Central Empowered Committee who through their most valuable report have taken a very bold stand in the best interests of our tiny State of Goa,” the release concludes.
