Team Herald
PANJIM: Alleging that the proposed double tracking of South Western Railway (SWR) from Hospet to Vasco da Gama is for coal transportation, Cortalim BJP MLA Alina Saldanha has urged the government to look for other alternative means of transport to weed out fear and apprehension of the people of being “prisoners” in their own land.
Saldanha, along with locals on Thursday met Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, wherein she put across the fact that double-tracking will have a serious impact on human lives in the form of coal and noise pollution. The meeting was also attended by officials of the SWR.
Emerging from the meeting, Saldanha said that the Chief Minister has asked SWR to submit a detailed ground report of the entire project. “The CM has proposed some measures. He will study the ground reality and get back to us,” she said.
The former Environment Minister charged that the double-tracking is being done only to facilitate coal transportation to Karnataka. “The entire project is to facilitate coal transportation to Karnataka. Karnataka has ports which can handle coal movement. Hence, we have requested the government and the railway authorities to identify other alternative means of transportation,” she said.
“Karnataka is 52 times bigger than Goa. The current track is just next to the doorsteps of several houses and double tracking will destroy these houses completely,” the MLA said.
“If the double tracking happens, then the villagers, owners and the people will become prisoners in their own land suffering due to coal dust pollution, noise pollution and risk to life,” Saldanha said.
Despite being in the ruling party, Saldanha has been vocal against double-tracking of the railway route.
