SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2024
Claudius Gidwan D’Costa
Do you think the current COVID-19 is dangerous? No, it is not! Because it is only a virus which will not affect us if we take sufficient precautions and strengthen our immunity, and will eventually fade away. But the pandemic called “Goyant Kolso” (Poixeank Lagon), which is very soon going to hit our Goa State, will be worse than the COVID-19, which will last for generations after generations and there won’t be any vaccines or cure, only numerous serious health problems will plague us and thus our Goa will be called the Death Destination.
Every Goan, grownup and small child, are shouting slogans on streets or on social medias - “Goyant Kolso Naka”(we don’t want coal in Goa). Why do we want million tons of coal to be handled in Goa? When the 12 million tons being transported presently is already creating pollution in Goa and creating health vulnerability for the people of Goa, imagine our situation if it is increased many times more. Due to construction of coal corridor of railways, mass devastation by mud filling of water bodies like lakes, khazans, rivers, our agricultural lands, fields, etc which is already in progress in Chandor and Guirdolim. SWR plans to have a coal hub in the densely populated area which is near Chandor railway station. Guirdolim Village Panchayat had written a letter to the Railways asking them their project plan for double tracking which they have not given till date, but the work is on.
Also, there will be mass annihilation of our Western Ghats for which the beauty of “Dudhsagar” will be lost, the livelihood of the locals from Mollem will be lost, water reservoirs, and springs will be destroyed due to rock blasting and many more for the double tracking. Similarly, why do we need River Nationalization? Can someone explain to us which cruise liners are going to plot a course through these rivers? The children in Mollem are shouting and beseeching the government to stop cutting of trees (under the name of development) and not to annihilate the natural environment and free, clean oxygen which we get from them.
The children are pleading to you to leave Goa for them, who are your future generation, Clean, Green and Safe. Now the government has come out with yet another way of stopping government employees who are/will get affected with this destruction by ordering that they cannot agitate.
Though the politicians and the Government have tried their best to hide the truth from us, the people have used Right To Information to collect information and bring about awareness amongst Goans in each and every village about the land acquisition, 6 river nationalization, double tracking, highways, etc only to make way for the superfluous Coal Terminals in Goa. Don’t forget our Goa will disappear from the map, if coal is made reality. With the devastation of forests, hills, fields, etc we are already facing enough wrath/anger of God during monsoons. So we request all Goans to say Goyant Kolso Naka – We don’t need coal in Goa – Let us safeguard Goa for our future generations.
