Team Herald
VASCO: In a letter of memorandum, Goencho Ekvott on Thursday requested the Mormugao Deputy Collector to stop personal hearing of the land acquisition for the purpose of double tracking.
GE members appealed to the government to scrap the destructive projects and put forth Goa’s interest first rather than just going ahead with destructive projects in the name of national interest.
In a press note, Goencho Ekvott said, “At the onset, villagers strung along the Kulem–Vasco railway track place on record: Resentment to manner in which acquisition hearing notices have been served, giving just four working days to appear before your authority, at a time when there is a surge in COVID cases and deaths registered in Goa and precautionary protocols are in place.”
“Large number of villagers served notices, are senior citizens, with co-morbidities. These senior citizens are not in a position to present themselves personally or arrange for legal representative to represent them at such short notice,” it said.
“Notices have been addressed to some heirs of deceased persons, without taking all legal representatives on record. This is bad in law. Doubling of the Tinaighat-Vasco track impacts not only individuals whose land is to be acquired, but also has a severe impact on the health and livelihood of villagers all along the track. It is therefore imperative that objections of affected villagers are also heard,” it added.
Goencho Ekvott an umbrella organization of various groups opposing doubling of the South Western railway tracks represents the collective voice of the villagers.
Placing before the authority the submissions, Goencho Ekvott said, “Doubling of the Tinaighat -Vasco track was sanctioned in the Financial Year 2010/11. Goencho Ekvott objects to the acquisition of land for Doubling of the Tinaighat-Vasco track project under sub-section (I) of Section 20A of Chapter IV of the Railway Act, 1989 (24 of 1989), 11 years after the project was sanctioned in the midst of a pandemic. We oppose acquisition of land for one project by two separate organizations under different Acts”.
The Tinaighat – Vasco track passes through forest lands in Mollem. Starting of work on non-forest land is a violation of Government of India, Ministry of Environment & Forest (FC Division) Notification No. F.No. 2-1/2003-FC dt. 21st March 2011 which reads: “It has, therefore, been decided that if a project involves forest as well as non-forest land, work should not be started on non-forest land till approval of the Central Government for release of forest land under the Act has been given,” it mentioned.
“The land acquisition plans in some areas have been drawn without a proper field survey or application of mind. The acquisition plans are based on survey plans promulgated in 1968 which do not capture land contours. The survey plans drawn 52 years ago do not reflect the reality on the ground today with respect to new structures, houses, compound walls that have been erected subsequently,” it stated.
Goencho Ekvott said, “The acquisition plans are additionally flawed for the following reasons: A significant part of the double track is marked on land kept aside as Right Of Way (ROW) for villagers. Villagers continue to use this ROW as a motor able access. This land is not owned by Railway authorities. Even Revenue Department records i.e. Form I & XIV have no mention that Railway Authorities are occupants of this land (ROW). Acquisition plans have been drawn only for the land beyond the ROW”.
In addition to the land planned to be acquired to technically lay the double track, additional land would be required for railway signage and area to accommodate maintenance gangs working along the tracks as the trains pass by, it added.
Goencho Ekvott said, “Land required for mitigating measures in the form of vibration suppressors/dampeners, underpasses, over-bridges which the Railway Authorities keep talking of, have not been shown in the acquisition plans.”
“In the absence of a comprehensive acquisition plan, villagers are unable to evaluate the true impact of the acquisition and find themselves ill equipped to place their objections before your authority. Under the circumstances, the present piece meal acquisition is infructuous, futile and needs to be promptly aborted”, it said.
“Our Constitution empowers local bodies, in tune with their status as the third tier of Government to formulate and implement programmes of economic development and social justice. We appeal to your authority/Railways to engage with the local bodies before bulldozing through doubling of the track through our villages under the guise of development,” it added.
Heritage lover Heta Pandit said, “There are old heritage houses in the coastal villages of Cansaulim, Pale, Velsao, etc, which are going to be affected badly if double tracking comes up.”
“Goa is beautiful. Is it right to destroy Goa’s environment and heritage just in the name of national interest” Govt on one hand is promoting heritage and on other hand the heritage homes are getting destroyed” she added.
