SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
Team Herald
NEW DELHI: Making his first speech in the Rajya Sabha, on the second day of the Winter Session of Parliament, TMC MP Luizinho Faleiro said the double-tracking of the railway line from Mormugao Port to Karnataka; Expansion of the Panjim-Belgavi national highway through immense destruction of ecology, and the Tamnar Power Transmission Project are three cardinal sins.
He covered the entire gamut of major State concerns to the more specific ones like the politically-backed illegal construction of a massive villa in the middle of the UNESCO protected heritage precinct.
Faleiro, who was sworn in on Monday as TMC MP also raised other issues of serious concern to Goans – the transfer of River Mandovi waters from Mhadei River basin to River Malaprabha in Karnataka; the grant of Special Status to Goa under Article 371 of the Constitution; restarting of legal mining and stopping coal transportation in Goa which will seriously affect the health and livelihoods of the people of Goa.
He said, “The government of Goa has taken major projects that have destroyed our economy, our ecology, our environment and the livelihoods of the people of Goa,” and added, “The government by allowing 13 million tonnes of coal transportation in Goa has made it from a tourist destination to a coal destination. Goa is known as an international tourist destination, not a coal destination.”
Stating that Goans respect and co-exist with the environment and stand up for their rights, Faleiro pointed out that the double-tracking of the railway line from Mormugao Port to Karnataka, expansion of the Panjim-Belgavi national highway and the Tamnar Power Transmission Project would cause immense destruction to ecology and environment. These have devastated the wildlife sanctuaries which are the sanctum sanctorum of Goa, he said.
He further raised the demand to give Special Category Status to Goa under Article 371 (i) of the Indian Constitution and restarting of sustainable and legal mining, since the livelihood of 2.5 lakh Goans dependent on mining is at stake.
Highlighting the issue of double tracking, Faleiro said there is a threat of making Goa into a coal hub. There is a threat of coal dust pollution and health hazard. “Goa cannot be allowed to be made a coal hub,” he said.
“The project of double-tracking of the railway line, which is presently being undertaken from Mormugao Port to Karnataka, is much against the wishes of the people, since coal transportation will cause pollution, destroy the environment, destroy livelihoods by affecting agriculture and habitation and seriously affect their health,” Faleiro told the Rajya Sabha.
Speaking on Mhadei River water diversion into the Malaprabha River basin, he said Goans were deprived of their share of water to sustain their livelihood. Besides these, Faleiro raised the issue of illegal diversion of River Mandovi waters from Mhadei River basin to Malaprabha river basin of Karnataka, despite Mhadei Tribunal Order. He said, “Mhadei River represents 60% of the lifeline of Goa. Its waters have been shifted to Karnataka.”
Faleiro also raised the issue of Special Category Status to Goa under Article 371 (i) of the Indian Constitution, “to protect and to preserve the unique culture and history of this sub-region of Konkan.” On mining, Faleiro said that stoppage of illegal mining had seriously affected the livelihoods of mining workers. “The illegal mining loot of Rs 35,000 crore has not been recovered,” he said and called for restarting of sustainable and legal mining, to help the 2.5 lakh Goans who are dependent on mining.
Commenting on the massive agitation in Goa against the blatantly illegal construction of a villa within the heritage precincts of Old Goa he said that the Goa government was destroying ancient historical sites recognised by the UNESCO.
