The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa on Tuesday cautioned that while rail ways may find it difficult to lay double tracks through the wildlife sanctuary, they could extend double track ing from Vasco to Kulem, turning the latter into a coal hub. AAP State president Adv Amit Palekar said the Su preme Court had already quashed clearances grant ed to the project by the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), yet the danger re mained. “Goa has already been sold and compro mised. Every Goan should be alert now,” he warned. Demanding an imme diate halt to double track ing, coal expansion and corporate-driven projects that threaten Goa’s people, economy and environment, Palekar asked, “Why is the government forcing this project on Goa when Goans don’t need it?
As a tourism State, the government must prioritise sustainable devel opment, heritage conser vation and clean industries over coal and pollution.” He stressed that the pro ject had nothing to do with public benefit. “It is purely for coal transportation, with the BJP and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant showing no courage to stop it,” he charged. AAP general secretary (campaign) Sandesh Tel ekar Dessai warned that the double tracking would devastate heritage houses, villages and tourism, be sides triggering coal dust pollution and wildlife dis ruption. “Tourists will stop coming, businesses will collapse, and Goans’ health is already suffering. Local communities fear loss of property and suffocation under coal dust. Where coal thrives, no pharma or sustainable industry will come.
The plan to move 45 million metric tonnes of coal will destroy Goa’s economy and its environ ment,” he said. From Vasco, Sunil Loran cautioned that the port town was already facing econom ic collapse. “Cruise tourism and other industries will fail if coal expansion continues. This is not just Vasco’s fight. Every Goan must stand up. Don’t mess with Goa, or the people will be forced to pro test,” he warned.
Palekar also played a video of late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar opposing double tracking, saying Goa did not need such projects. “Today, Parrikar’s own par ty is betraying his legacy. The BJP that once claimed to protect Goa has now sold itself to corporate interests,” he said. When asked if Parrikar had been serious or mere ly opposing the then Con gress-led UPA government at the Centre, Palekar re marked, “If Parrikar was serious, the BJP would not have allowed double tracking in Goa. I think he was probably playing poli tics of convenience at that point of time.