Team Herald
VASCO: In a memorandum-cum-request letter to the Deputy Collector of Mormugao and to the Chief Administrative Officer, Constructions of South Western Railway, Goenchea Raponkaracho Ekvott (GRE) has asked them to scrap land acquisition for Hospet-Hubli-Tinaighat-Vasco-da-Gama for track doubling project.
The GRE demanded the withdrawal of the notice of office of land acquisition officer & the Deputy Collector/SDO, Mormugao Taluka, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa Bearing No 16/2/2020/LA-01/DYC/1138 dated:22/05/2020 of Kalem to Vasco for special project namely Hospet-Hubli-Tinaighat-Vasco-da-Gama doubling of tracks.
In the memorandum, GRE general secretary Olencio Simoes mentioned that that the GRE and the locals want to register their strong objection to the intention of acquiring land from Kalem to Vasco for special project, namely Hospet-Hubli-Tinaighat-Vasco-da-Gama for track doubling.
“It is shocking to read the notice on the Herald newspaper dated June 19, stating that our ancestral land will be acquired for special project, namely Hospet-Hubli-Tinaighat-Vasco-da-Gama doubling of rail tracks, despite submitting objections by most land owners at Deputy Collector/ Sub-Divisional Officer on September 20, 2019 for procurement of land for expansion of double railway line in my land in the village of Cansaulim. It is also pertinent to note that the same acquisition was also opposed in notification of Under Secretary(Rev-I) dated 24/10/2008 published on Herald dated 29/10/2009 and the same was also opposed by Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim Panchayat, Velsao-Pale-Issorsim panchayat and other panchayats too,” the memorandum stated.
It says, “We wish to bring to your attention that there are several ancestral old mud houses situated within close proximity of the already existing triple railway line at Cansaulim Railway Station. As a result due to constant movement of trains with a high speed frequency, several houses stand in danger as cracks have been developed due to vibrations caused by heavy coal and other goods trains passing constantly. These coal trains transport 23 tonnes per minute which is 3800 tonne coal per train and 16 such coal trains passing through our beautiful village, have created havoc to the people of our village. The coal pollution with toxic black dust in the air has caused respiratory problems like bronchitis, sinusitis and pulmonary disorders.”