Team Herald
PANJIM: Anti-coal activists reacted sharply over the discussions held in the Assembly against the three linear projects and charged the government was trying to silence the voice of people and alleged that this was done at the dictates of capitalists.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change Nilesh Cabral informed the House that the current coal transportation permitted will not be exceeded, on Friday.
“The government does not wish to go against the order of the Supreme Court of India on the three linear projects; coal transportation permitted at present will not be exceeded,” Cabral said.
Opposition MLA Vijai Sardesai alleged that the government is going ahead with the railway double-tracking project to increase coal transportation.
Speaking on Goa Tamnar Transmission project, Cabral said that power lines are laid as per the recommendations of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the Supreme Court order, the Right of Way (RoW) existing 220KV Ambewadi-Ponda and110 KV defunct Supa line will be used. Multi-circuit multi-voltage lattice towers will be utilised, carrying both new 400 KV XN line of Goa Tamnar Transmission Limited and the existing 200 KV Ambewadi-Ponda line.
This resulted in heated arguments between Opposition MLAs and the Minister. Moreover, several activists and Goans have reacted sharply to this. Calling the government insensitive to the concerns and trying to murder of democracy.
Oriville Dourado of Goencho Ekvott alleged that the way the government behaved when the private member’s resolution came up for discussed only proved that Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral was acting as per the directions of capitalists and favouring coal transportation against the will of the people of Goa. He said that Goan voices were not heard, we had told them that destruction was becoming too much just for these projects. Why can’t this government see and solve the plight that Goan families and people going through? he asked.
Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott Secretary Olencio Simoes said that the way the government tried to defeat the resolution shows that there is no democracy. It is now clear the government is lying to the people and not bothered of the consequences. The government somehow wants to expand the Sagarmala project and wants to go ahead with the three linear projects and railway double tracking work for coal expansion. “We will hit the streets,” he warned.
Congress spokesman Captain Viriato Fernandes said that the Environment Minister was only lying to the people of Goa. Now, the Supreme Court judgment states clearly that the train that goes from MPA are always full and transport coal and while coming back 80 per cent of these trains are empty. This clearly proves as per the Apex Court order that MPA’s most business depends on coal. Hence double tracking is meant for coal transportation and not for passenger or beneficial for the people. Today, the Chief Minister and the Environment Minister should think what they want to do and think about the people of Goa.
Goyant Kollso Naka Co-Convenor Abhijeet Prabhudessai condemned that the act of the government while acknowledging that they were happy to see that the opposition members unitedly raised their voices and concerns of the people of Goa in the House.
“Goans are facing and witnessing the biggest dark cloud of trouble. The opposition has understood our problems but the ruling is silent and turned a blind eye.”
He said that they were hoping that the resolution would be accepted.
He demanded that the government should rethink and take up the matter for discussion and scrap these three linear projects.
