SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: After being charged by villagers of Velsao, now all the villagers from Guirdolim and Chandor have resolved to fight unitedly against the much discussed double tracking, and encroachment done by the Railway Authorities at Guirdolim village. Villagers have also warned to take law in their hands if the railways authority fails to remove the debris dumped inside the Church and private property within the next one week.
On Sunday evening nearly 500 villagers from Guirdolim and Chandor gathered at the fabrica plot near the Old Railway Station, Guirdolim, and charged the railway authority, besides the government and local MLA.
TMC leader Dr Jorson Fernandes, and Yuri Alemao also joined the villagers in support. Edward D'Silva, Sarpanch Chandor, Joy D'Silva, Flex Furtado, Bavin Cardozo, and others also addressed the gathering and appealed to fight unitedly against the double tracking of railways.
The villagers at the meeting strongly objected to the encroachment by the railways and for creating all havoc in the villages. They charged the local MLA Clafasio Dias is keeping silent on the issue and not coming out in support of villagers.
Later, it was decided to give one week's time to the railway authorities in order to remove all the debris dumped inside the Church and private property, without consent, resulting in the mess all over.
Edward said this government is taking the public for granted but enough is enough. "We will not tolerate any more. Now time has come to take the law into our own hands if the railway authorities and the government don't act in favour of villagers,” he stated.
"It is clear cut evidence that the local MLA is least bothered about the issues pertaining to the people. He has not spoken a single word in support of the villagers, who are facing a tough time due to the project of double tracking," said one of the villagers.
TMC Leader Dr Jorson Fernandes also addressed the gathering and declared full support to the villagers in opposing the project.
"First and foremost we will fight against the encroachment of the railways for the double tracking, and secondly we want to make clear that people don't want a double tracking project in Goa. And the simple reason is Goa is not the coal hub and we will not allow to happen it," he stated.
"We will not tolerate the debris dumped in the Church, besides private property by the railway authorities," Dr Jorson warned.
"It is very much surprising and shocking to note that the Goa State Pollution Control Board is ill-equipped to test the coal," he stated.
