Team Herald
MARGAO: A group of activists held an awareness programme at Assolna’s Lohia Chowk on Sunday evening, to discuss various issues that are affecting the Goan population – the diversion of river Mhadei, railway double tracking, coal pollution and the alleged illegal bungalow in Old Goa.
The likes of Dr Rajendra Kerkar, Fr Bolmax Pereira, Professor Prajal Sakhardande were amongst the speakers, along with activists Xencor Polgi, Glen Cabral and Anthony Da Silva at this event
Regarding the Mhadei, there was a talk on the present status of the matter, including what is taking place in the Supreme Court and what the Central and State governments of Goa and Karnataka had done.
The main essence of the talk was that pressure has to be put on the Goa government to ensure that the river water of Mhadei is not diverted to Karnataka , to prevent the devastating consequences not just for North Goa but also the entire State.
On double tracking and coal pollution, the speakers elaborated upon how the human settlements, the age-old drainage system, natural water bodies and the environment is being damaged and how the existing problems in those areas will quadruple if the railways manage to expand the tracks.
Here too, the Central government and both Goa and Karnataka governments were criticised for using Goa to create infrastructure despite the destruction it is causing, for the transport of coal from Mormugao to Karnataka.
