Our great country is a
democratic nation and our dot-sized State of Goa is a part of this great
nation; that is, the Government in the state of Goa is also a Government that
is of the people, for the people and by the people. If this is true, then the
welfare of the people of every State of our country is of paramount importance
and it is the responsibility of the elected representatives to ensure the
well-being of the people who vote them to power both at the Centre and the
State.
In this
context, with reference to the second South Western Railway (SWR) track, the
Government of Goa has to answer a few questions asked by the people of Goa,
especially the people of South Goa.
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Has the State
government conducted an EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) to study the impact
of the Second SWR track upon the environment, the people and the houses along
the SWR alignment through the villages of South Goa? Is it not the responsibility
of the State government of the day to study the implications involved in the
project before agreeing to any Central Government project? Has the elected
government of Goa conducted a survey to find out where the second SWR track
will land the houses existing along the SWR alignment and its impact on these
houses, many of which are heritage houses being 100-500 years old? Is it not
the responsibility of the government to protect the heritage of the State? If
there is such a survey/study that has been carried out, then the State
government has to make it public.
The people
residing in the villages of South Goa fear a total and definite destruction of
their houses which will eventually collapse due to further increase in
vibrations with every passing train if the second SWR track is laid, rendering
the residents homeless.
Presently, most
of the houses along the first SWR are riddled with cracks, which in some cases
originate on the floor and move up the walls.
The government
has to conduct a survey to find out how many houses along the proposed second
SWR track will be further affected and consequently collapse. Is it not the
responsibility of the State government to look into this major issue and inform
the residents of the problems they would face?
In most cases,
the second SWR track to be laid through the villages of South Goa will land
either 3m to 5m from the houses existing along the present track, and,
shockingly, in some areas inside the compound of these houses, a fact that the
Chief Minister of Goa was shown when he visited the village of Velsao.
The government
of the day has to tell the residents of these houses whether they will then be
able to reside in their homes or not. Would the elected representatives allow
their families to live under such conditions?
The present SWR
track passing through the villages of South Goa has houses on either side of
the track. After the second track is laid, the children and the seniors living
along the track will have to cross two tracks to reach essential infrastructure,
such as the market, bus stand or for that matter anywhere they may go, thereby
exposing their lives to risk. Is this development for the people of these
villages who presently run the risk of falling while crossing the track,
especially the senior citizens?
Lastly and very
importantly, the people of Goa at large and South Goa in particular question
the Government of Goa as to why Goa’s only port, that is the Mormugao port, is
to be used to receive coal coming from Australia when Karnataka has eleven
minor ports and one major port that can receive the coal and transport it to
its destination which is within the state of Karnataka, where the steel
industry is located.
If the
government of Karnataka can say ‘no’ to coal being transported through its
State, despite the State being more than 52 times bigger than Goa, why is the
Goa government afraid to take a stand to protect Goa from destruction? The
public of Goa awaits an answer to this vital question.
While it is a
well-known fact that coal dust contains heavy metals like arsenic, lead, zinc,
etc, which are highly toxic and when inhaled can lead to all kinds of pulmonary
disorders and other diseases, has the State government carried out a study on
the impact of coal dust on the health of the people, the life in the water
bodies, the plants and the environment? Let us not forget the fact that life in
the water bodies too will be affected
and will then have an impact on human lives.
Inspite of
being aware of all the problems related to the second SWR track in the tiny
State of Goa, why is the government of the day so bent on allowing the project?
Is it not the bounden duty of the elected representatives to protect the health
and well-being of the people who have elected them?
The people of
Goa await the answers to these queries which are closely linked with their
lives and their well-being.
(Alina Saldanha
is a former Environment Minister and ex-MLA of Cortalim)
