MARGAO: The Sao Jose de Areal gram sabha on Sunday rejected in one voice the railway project of erecting another platform in the village and also demanded closure of the Goa Carbon Ltd plant on grounds that it was polluting while also objecting to Section 16B of the Town and Country Planning Act.
Even as Sarpanch Perris D’Costa sought to adjourn the gram sabha at 1.54 pm, the villagers protested and said till the issue of the railways was discussed they would not budge and the gram sabha continued.
The villagers pointed out that even though they had filed their objections to the Railways proposal to acquire more land in the village ostensibly to construct another railway platform, by a public notice published in an English daily, the villagers have been invited to the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex to give their NOC for the land acquisition.
While questioning how the Railways could go ahead with the project despite objections, the villagers also questioned the role of the local MLA who had failed to fix up an appointment with the Member of Parliament to discuss this issue even though a year has passed since the promise was made.
The villagers pointed out that the authorities have not submitted any plans about what is being proposed and said they had no problem with double tracking of the railway line as long as it was in the land belonging to the railways.
They said the railway authorities are only showing blue prints and asked the Sarpanch to issue a stop work order till such time as they produce all relevant documents and plans. Sarpanch refused to issue stop work order and said he would consult seniors on this matter.
