MARGAO: Stating that Power and Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral’s statement that the railway double-tracking is not for coal is baseless and is not backed by any documents, Goyant Kollso Naka (GKN) on Saturday alleged that the minister has once again attempted to mislead the people in order to push these anti-people projects.
The GKN was responding to the statements of Power and Environment Minister, attempting to defend the 400 kv power transmission line and double-tracking projects.
“After being shown the Sagarmala documents proving that companies wanted the double-tracking for coal transportation, the power minister admitted to Goyant Kollso Naka that he is aware that 51 MTPA of coal is to be transported from the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT). It is most shocking that after this admission, he is now making a U-turn, without producing any new facts,” it alleged.
The GKN claimed that the most harmful misrepresentations by the minister are those made to justify the transmission line and the future of Goa with regards to electricity.
“Goyant Kollso Naka has placed the facts from the government records before the people which reveal that the transmission line must not be allowed under any circumstances if we are to protect our economy and the interests of our future generations,” it said.
“Firstly, the minister has not issued any white paper as claimed, but has only made some unsubstantiated statements. Contrary to the facts, he has tried to fool the people that the transmission line is necessary due to increasing demands,” GKN’s Abhijit Prabhudessai claimed.
“The proposed transmission line is not just unnecessary, but is also completely against public interest, because it promotes burning of coal and global warming. Further, the cost of the transmission line was estimated in 2015 to be Rs 2,365 crore, due to which the tariff for ordinary citizens will have to be increased by 10-14 per cent every year until the cost is recovered from us,” the GKN charged.
“We owe it to our children to implement the Union government’s target of 358 MW of solar power by 2022, and therefore to oppose and stop the transmission line at any cost. Obviously, these solar power installations must be decentralised. Further, the Union Ministry has estimated the potential of solar power in Goa to be a whopping 880 MW, meaning that Goa must become a net exporter of power, if we are to do our bit in saving our State from global warming,” GKN said.
It has called upon the State government to meet the solar energy target of 358 MW by 2022 on a war footing and to scrap the anti-climate, anti-people and unnecessary power transmission line project.
