Citizen collective Goyant Kolso Naka (GKN) on Wednesday accused Chief Minister Pramod Sawant of ‘blatantly lying’ about Goa’s coal future, presenting a cache of official documents that, they said, proved the State and Central govern ments are actively enabling a large-scale expansion of coal handling and transportation through the State. At a press conference in Margao, around ten GKN members displayed envi ronmental clearances, gov ernment approval letters and project files to back their charge that multiple coal-related projects are moving forward even as the Chief Minister publicly insists that coal handling “will not increase even by a single ton. Leading the presentation, Abhijit Prabhudesai said there was ‘undeniable proof’ that permissions already issued by the authorities were designed to expand coal infrastruc ture across Goa. “Firstly, the MoEF&CC has granted Environmental Clear ance on January 11, 2023, for the doubling of coal handling capacity at Berths 5A and 6A of Mormugao Port by South West Ports Ltd — from 7 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 14 MTPA. Construction work for this additional capacity is proceeding at great speed, and both the State and Central governments have supported this massive increase before the National Green Tribunal (NGT),” he said. “Secondly,” Prabhudesai continued, “a coal handling jetty has been proposed at Xelvona, which remains under active consideration by the State Environment Impact Assess ment Authority (SEIAA). The project has only been stalled because of strong local protests, but the permissions are still being pursued by the government despite the Chief Minister’s promises to the contrary. The deadly threat to residents continues to haunt them.” “Thirdly,” he added, “the MoEF&CC has granted Environ mental Clearance on July 21, 2025, for capital dredging of Vasco Bay from 14 metres to 19 metres draft. This is purely to allow massive cape-size vessels to unload huge quan tities of coal at the port, which will turn Vasco and other parts of Goa into a living hell. The CM is promoting this pro posal knowing fully well that it will bring colossal amounts of coal into Goa for onward transportation.” Prabhudesai also detailed the ongoing land acquisition through cultivated khazan lands at Loutolim for the new 60-metre-wide highway and Borim Bridge, saying that the Public Works Department’s (PWD) own approval let ter shows that the alignment and design were finalised to serve Mormugao Port. “The Government of Goa’s reply clearly states that the alignment recommended by the consultant was rejected and that an alignment closest to Mormugao Port was selected arbitrarily, stating that ‘Mor mugao Port is priority,’” he said. “Further, repairs to the existing Borim Bridge, which has a design life of another 20 years, are already under way. If the CM really wanted to prevent an increase in coal transportation, he would have dropped this new bridge and highway proposal altogether.” He said that if the CM were sincere, he would have also stopped the expansion of NH-4A at Bhoma village, which residents have strongly opposed for years. “Instead,” he said, “the government continues to push projects that serve one purpose — to facilitate the movement of coal.” Turning to the railways, Prabhudesai said the dou ble-tracking of South Western Railway (SWR) lines through Velsao and adjoining villages is being forcibly imposed on residents despite the Sagarmala Master Plan’s own ad mission that the double-tracking is meant purely for coal transportation. “Even the railway authorities admitted this before the Supreme Court while pleading for permissions inside protected areas. The Supreme Court itself observed that Krishnapatnam Port was a better alternative for coal. Yet, despite the apex court’s observations, the State contin ues to misuse police and revenue officials against villagers who resist the project,” he said. The Goyant Kolso Naka presentation has also drawn sup port from other leading environmental voices in the State. Environmental group Goa Foundation (GF) has backed GKN in its charge that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant mis led Goans about the State’s coal future. GF Director Claude Alvares said the Chief Minister’s claim that coal handling “will not increase even by a sin gle ton” was “false” and aimed at downplaying the govern ment’s own clearances for expansion. “Lies, lies and more lies! Unfortunately, even Chief Minis ters are now comfortable with them,” Alvares said, reacting to Sawant’s remarks. He urged Goans to take note of the findings presented by GKN and join the movement. “Hear what they have said. Don’t just cry about the black future our present band of depraved politicians are laying out for us. Come out and join every possible agitation,” he said. Alvares added that the government’s continued push for coal-related projects showed that “only public resistance can make it stop.” “This government only fears public protests,” he said, calling on citizens to unite behind GKN’s campaign. Sabita Mascarenhas said the CM’s recent comments were ‘a calculated attempt to mislead Goans’. “He has been in power for five years since promising on Children’s Day to reduce coal handling by 50 per cent. Instead of reducing it, he now openly admits he won’t. These hollow statements are meant to lull the public while every coal-related project moves ahead,” she said. Albertina Almeida highlighted the government’s failure to safeguard Goa’s rivers. “The CM’s refusal to delete our rivers from the National Waterways Act, or to forbid capital dredging and new coal jetties, keeps the threat alive,” she said. “By continuing to endorse the Sagarmala Master Plan, which targets over 130 million tonnes of coal per annum, the government is effectively committing Goa to a future of pollution and ecological disaster.” She added that the CM’s reluctance to issue directions preventing capital dredging or expansion of coal jetties “has left a sword hanging over the heads of all Goans.” The group said that if the CM truly opposed the increase in coal transportation, he would have dropped the NH-4A and SWR expansions within Mollem National Park and ad joining wildlife sanctuaries. “He is instead doing everything to build infrastructure meant purely for coal transporta tion,” Prabhudesai said. GKN members reiterated that all coal-related projects are stalled only because of people’s resistance, not govern ment restraint. “Every fact we’ve presented is drawn from government records,” said Prabhudesai. “We are ready to brief all MLAs and hold an open debate with the CM or his representative at any time.” Thanking Goans who attended the Lohia Maidan meet ing on Sunday, the group said it was a powerful show of people’s unity. “We are a people’s movement, not a political one,” Mascarenhas said. “People’s power will prevail in this battle for Goa’s survival.” It may be recalled that on Monday, the CM questioned the fresh wave of protests against coal transportation, assert ing that neither the State government nor the Centre had taken any steps to increase coal handling at the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA). “Then why the protest?” the CM had asked, maintaining that “not a single ton will be added to the existing capacity.” He had also questioned the timing and intent of the agitation, suggesting it may be politically motivated ahead of elections. GKN concluded that the CM’s continued backing of the Sagarmala Master Plan “is the root cause of every coal linked project now being pursued” and vowed to contin ue its campaign until “all promises made to the people at Lohia Maidan are fulfilled.
Goyant Kolso Naka Accuses CM Pramod Sawant of ‘Lying’ on Goa’s Coal Expansion, Presents Official Documents
