Black truth on the tracks: Herald picks up a kg of coal spilled from wagons in less than a minute

NAVIN JHA

VELSAO: On Friday morning when over 200 people of Velsao were confronting the staff of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), who were reportedly “surveying” the land in connection with the controversial double tracking project, Team Herald did its own survey for the people of Goa. 

The myth that there is no spillage of “killer coal” when railway wagons pass our villages was busted. Yet again.

This reporter managed to collect over one kilogram of coal pieces from an area of two meters in less than a minute, in front of the villagers. “We had no clue that so much of coal spillage is taking place even today. There exists arsenic and mercury in such types of coal which is being transported to its destination from MPT,” said Orville Dourado Rodrigues who is currently the chairperson of Villagers Action Committee Against Double Tracking (VACAD)

While the Herald Investigation Team, was on-site, a Velsao villager Camilo Sequeira approached the team and took us to a site where railway staff have kept all the coal collected from the tracks. “If the Railways claim that there is no spillage on the tracks then why have they kept a person only to collect the spilled coal from the tracks? This is dumped near the tracks at different locations. All this spillage is taking place because they have failed to put good quality of tarpaulin over rakes and hence coal pollution continues to haunt us every day,” he said. 

Velsao Sarpanch Henriques Dmello said, “Herald today showed us the true picture of how much these trains are polluting our environment.” 

A senior-level MPT officer who wished not to be named said, “Our responsibly is within the port area. Outside the port area, it is Railways responsibility. Who is earning from this transportation? Railways right. Also doubling of the tracks is not a port project but a Government of India’s railway project.”

A senior railway officer on the other hand said, “How has this become railway responsibility? If at all there are any loopholes they (MPT) should ensure that everything is proper before the wagons leave the port area.”