Team Herald
VASCO: Goencho Ekvott, in association with Village Action Committee Against Doubling of SWR Tracks, organised an awareness programme at Cansaulim to explain the villagers about the environmental destruction the mega projects planned will bring in Goa.
Key speakers in this event strongly opposed three mega projects and mentioned that this movement will grow Pan Goa.
Creson Antao, Majorda panch and the member of Goencho Ekvott (GE) in his address, said that people from Cansaulim had called them to explain to the villagers the repercussions of the railway double-tracking and the coal transportation.
“Our motto is to make people aware of such hidden agenda and to oppose coal transportation,” he added.
Captain Viriato Fernandes of Goencho Awaaz, who was also a key speaker in this awareness programme, said that people were having some rough idea that some destruction is happening in Goa and to give them clarity and make people aware about how this destruction is taking place. We have decided to go village to village and create awareness on the mega projects.
He further mentioned that our main objective is to make people understand a ploy of crony capitalists who are backed by people in power trying to bring coal from abroad to Goa. We are also highlighting how the MPT is being misused to transport coal; 136 million tonnes of coal will be brought to Goa yearly if railway double-tracking happens.
Later, Fr Bolmax Pereira, parish priest of Chicalim church, stated that people from villages want to know what is happening around them. People are raising the question as to who will benefit from all these projects and the development it will bring into the State.
VACAD convenor Orville Dourado Rodrigues, Goencho Ekvott member Ella Mascarenhas, Velsao panch Ashok Souza, Olencio Simoes of GRE and around 100 villagers were among those present.
