Team Herald
ARROSIM/CANSAULIM: The localised protests in villages across Salcete and Mormugao against the double-tracking of South Western Railways continue. On Thursday morning it was flashpoint Arossim-Cansaulim, in many ways the nerve centre of the double-tracking agitation.
A large number of agitated villagers from Arossim-Cansaulim and nearby places made the labour contractor to stop the work near railway track opposite St Lawrence chapel at Arossim and made him take away the construction material. Agitated locals strongly condemned and opposed the government’s move to press the double-tracking project despite large opposition from the public. They demanded that the Cortalim MLA, Alina Saldanha (who has been supportive of the people’s movement throughout) along with ten other MLAs who recently joined BJP and are against the double-tracking should resign from their position and join the people in the fight against the three linear projects.
This stretch which also includes Utorda at one end and Velsao at the other is where the second railway line will either force portions of homes and structures including religious ones to go, or practically block entrances to some heritage homes along the railway track, homes whose walls have cracked and structures already weakened due to vibrations caused by train movement.
Over a hundred agitated locals along with the local MLA, Alina Saldanha confronted the labour contractor after the locals noticed that some construction material had been dumped across the railway track opposite St Lawrence Chapel on Wednesday late evening.
DGP Meena’s remarks become bone of contention
The police force which was present at the site to maintain the law and order situation were also booed by the angry locals who passed comments suggesting that the police should not be the mouthpiece of “crony” capitalists and the government. This was probably in the context of the controversy which has erupted over the Goa Director General of Police, Mukesh Kumar Meena stating that these projects were passed after a lot of “study and research” and were in “national interest.”
Alina Saldanha too criticised the police presence. “The police role is to protect people and not to intimidate people and support any project. I don’t understand when in spite of knowing the damage that will be caused, the government seems to be so determined to go ahead with this project”, she said. Strong words for a ruling MLA against the government of her own party.
Labour Contractor forced to vacate rail track at Arossim
After lots of argument and discussion, the contractor was asked to stop and take away his material from the site. After almost two hours of prolonged discussions and arguments the people dispersed after Margao Mamlatdar intervened and asked the labour contractor to go away from the site.
Speaking to reporters, Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha said, “We have been told that the Union Minister of Railways is expected to visit Goa to have a discussion with the Chief Minister on this project. But the question is that when there is strong opposition from the people, then how did the work near the railway track commence today?”
Meanwhile, Jose Mario Furtado, Cansaulim Sarpanch commented: “As a sarpanch of Cansaulim, I would like to inform that since day one, our panchayat has been opposing, the double-tracking project. The locals, in the gram sabha meetings too, have strongly opposed the doubling of the track.”
Alina still hasn’t got the all-clear from villagers. Cansaulim Sarpanch alleges that MLA is soft with the govt; challenges her to quit.
He further said that he wanted to ask MLA, how much infrastructure has come up in her constituency.
“People have been asking for a railway over-bridge at the railway crossing, but it has not come up. What people also want to hear is what steps she will take to stop the doubling of track from happening,” he said.
Furtado alleged that the MLA is taking dual stands by staying soft with the State government and then saying she supports the people. “If she is really with the people then she should resign from her position and then be with the people and then people will fully support her,” he added.
Former sarpanch of Cansaulim Marta E Saldanha said, “Cansaulim, Arossim locals who were present at the railway track demanded that the Cortalim MLA along with ten Congress MLAs who have recently joined BJP should resign and this would be a big slap on the face of the government.”
She said people should not take law in their hands.
