Quepem: The organisation Goyant Kollso Naka (GSN) held awareness cum presentation meeting on the effects of the expansion of coal transportation to the people of Morailem and Bepquegal, respectively in Curchorem.
At the first corner meeting, it was explained that the coal that’s to be transported is not just for the power transmission line only but also for the steel factories that are in the pipeline on the route to Hospet.
It was pointed out that after the Mangalore Port had said no to coal cargo, the Central government had chosen Goa and Kerala. They further added that this was accepted by the Goa Government but rejected by the Kerala government for several reasons, including how it would impact the livelihoods of locals who are into fishing, farming and tourism.
The second corner meeting saw the attendance of local MLA and Power Minister Nilesh Cabral. He asked GKN activist Abhijit Prabhudesai how ‘fly ash’ could travel from Hospet to Goa. Cabral was given the example of how stubble burning takes place in Punjab and Haryana but the pollution is felt in Delhi as the air in the upper hemisphere, moves in one direction for months and in the monsoon, changes direction.. It was argued that once the eight steel mills in the Hospet belt beings, there is every possibility of fly ash flowing into Goa.
Cabral added that he will speak to the Chief Minister to stop the expansion of the second rail line in Dudhsagar till the people’s apprehension on this issue are cleared.
