Team Herald
VASCO: Members of Goencho Avaaz and the Village Action Committee Against Doubling of the South Western Railway Track (VACAD) on Friday met Chicalim Village Panchayat members and briefed them about the ill effects and the reasons to oppose the railway double tracking.
Sarpanch Sebestiao Pereira assured to support the groups to protect the Chicalim village.
Speaking to the reporters, Captain Viriato Fernandes of Goencho Avaaz informed that he along with another member of VACAD group had come to meet the sarpanch of Chicalim Village Panchayat to discuss about the issue of some land related work which is ongoing near Hansa Gate, which comes in the Chicalim Panchayat area and also regarding double tracking issue.
He said that the Railways is ongoing with its double tracking work covertly without paying any hid to the locals’ opposition and this is happening because the Railways understands that the State government is a weak and the entire show is run from New Delhi with the support of crony capitalists. These crony capitalists only want the double tracking to happen to transport coal.
Captain Viriato mentioned that when the railway contractors come to undertake some work on the track, they come along with the Railway Protection Force just to deter the locals. But those days are gone where the people use to get scared and now people across the State have come out to protect their land and villages from destruction.
“We had come to meet sarpanch and panchas to brief them on the double tracking issue and told them that this fight is to protect Goa and future generation. We were assured by the sarpanch that he will support the groups who are fighting to protect the village and the State.”
Sarpanch Pereira informed that some villagers from Chicalim had come to meet him to discuss the issue of double tracking. We had a discussion wherein the villagers briefed us about the matter.
Pereira said that the panchayat has already taken a resolution to oppose double tracking and we have also assured the groups to back them to protect Chicalim village and Goa.
