Team Herald
MARGAO: At an extraordinary gram sabha meeting held on Sunday by Loutolim Village Panchayat, hundreds of villagers, including children, youth and senior citizens; all in one voice unanimously reiterated to oppose the much-discussed proposed jetty at Rassaim.
Alleging that the government and the other authorities concerned have been fooling them on the issue, villagers have warned to take to the streets and even to take a legal course of action, if required.
The newly constituted panchayat body of nine members declared their full support to the villagers and vowed to stand by the people against the proposed jetty.
The gram sabha meeting and one of the first after the formation of the new panchayat body are considered the second meeting with the participation of huge numbers of villagers.
Villagers, including children, attended the meeting by holding placards and black flags against the proposed jetty.
The speakers and social activists charged the government, and more especially the Captain of Ports for misleading them on the project; whenever they demanded any clarifications.
Speaking to the mediapersons, after the meeting, Sarpanch Joana Fernandes, along with other panchas vowed to stand by the people against the proposed jetty.
"This extraordinary meeting was called upon the request of the villagers and gram sabha members; gathered in large numbers passed a resolution opposing the proposed jetty. Panchayat will do all the required follow-ups with the authorities concerned pertaining to opposing the jetty," she stated.
Earlier, expressing his views on the issue, Xavier Fernandes alleged the authority concerned and the State government had misguided the villagers on the proposed jetty.
Villagers also claimed that there are clear-cut indications that this proposed jetty at Rassai is coal related.
Basilio D'Costa, another gram sabha member, demanded the scrapping of the proposed jetty at Rassaim by claiming that the proposed jetty will have a direct impact on the rights of the indigenous communities of their village and Goa.
Ramiro Mascarenhas in his address explained in detail how the proposal for the jetty project moved ahead; pointing to the attempts made by the government to fool the villagers on the issue.
Franky Monteiro suggested a legal course of action so that the proposed jetty is scrapped permanently.
Vincent Dias, Inacino Fernandes, Valeriano Fernandes, Costao Fernandes and a few other villagers also spoke on the issue and strongly opposed the proposed jetty.
Villagers have strong apprehensions that this proposed jetty at Rassaim is to transport coal and the transportation of coal through their river and villages will be catastrophic for all the local residents on account of the loss of fisheries and fishing rights, khazans, paddy fields, bundhs and agriculture.
Later, villagers held a rally against the proposed jetty.