MONDAY, MAY 06, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: Demanding more time for the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to give its report by meeting the people objecting to the three linear projects, Goyant Kollso Naka on Saturday lamented that despite writing two letters to the CEC, it has not given them any time nor responded to their representations.
Goyant Kollso Naka (GKN) also demanded that all coal handling at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has to stop and no coal should be transported through Goa either by railway or road or even the rivers.
Briefing the media persons Co-Convenor Abhijit Prabhudessai said, “We are shocked with the media reports about the CEC functioning. It appears that they are meeting only the project proponents and the government and not meeting the opponents.”
“We had been submitting clinching evidences to show that the double tracking of the railway line, widening of the roads and Sagarmala Project were all aimed at making Goa a coal hub,” Prabhudessai said.
He lamented that the CEC has not yet commented on it. Besides, he said, “Given the fact that Goa will be having 650 MW of electricity from renewable energy, the Tanmar Project is not at all required and it will result in destroying the Western Ghat, which is a UNESCO recognised heritage site.”
Deepika D’Souza from Curtorim said, “In the first letter submitted on August 22, 2020, they had affixed 23 annexure which explained the situation succinctly and this was repeated with a reminder submitted on January 11, 2021.”
Reacting to the CEC proposal to protect the heritage trees, she sought to know what is “heritage tree” and from whose perspective it is being termed a “heritage tree”. While pointing out that there is not much traffic on the highways sought to know why another highway is sought to be constructed.
Gaby Fernandes from Curchorem demanded that the CEC be given at least another week to meet all the concerned people to get their views. He said, “Three days were too short a time.”
Replying to a question, Diana Tavares said, “They were not aware if the CEC is a motivated committee as it has not at all responded to their pleas.”
Abhijit argued that the CEC should reject the three linear projects outright because of the destruction they will cause to the environment and flora and fauna of the area.
He pointed out that the projects were deliberately fragmented to get the environmental clearances as otherwise an Environment Impact Assessment would have to be undertaken.
“We were shocked to see the Chief Minister supporting the three projects. He was lying to fool the people of Goa but to promote the business interest of Jindals, Adani and Vedanta,” he added.
Ilma Dias wondered how the Chief Minister could support the projects when more than 100 village panchayats have resolved to oppose coal transportation through Goa.
He further pointed out that Karnataka State has outright rejected the project of power transmission lines through forest areas.
