Team Herald
PORVORIM: The Goa Legislative Assembly witnessed a noisy scene on Friday with Opposition Legislators rushing to the well of the House after Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral failed to give an assurance to scrap the controversial three linear projects and withdraw criminal cases against the NGOs.
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Amid chaos even as Legislators – with coal dust applied on their forehead – shouted anti-coal slogans, Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar passed the motion on demand for grants for Public Works, Environment and Law; and adjourned the session to Monday, July 18.
Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai had moved a Private Members resolution strongly recommending scrapping of the three linear projects of double-tracking of South Western railway lines, Tamnar Power Transmission and expansion of National Highway 4-A passing through the protected areas of Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park in the interest of the public.
The Legislators said that people have shown strong opposition to these three projects that threaten the ecology of the area and also in view of the recommendation by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
The Legislators, who were joined by other Opposition leaders during the discussion, further demanded to withdraw all cases filed against citizens and NGOs for taking part in peaceful protests against the controversial projects.
Three MLAs in particular, Altone D’Costa, Sankalp Amonkar (Mormugao) and Yuri Alemao (Cuncolim), slammed the government for allegedly misleading the State over Sagarmala project, claiming that the double-engine sarkar is pushing for massive coal transportation.
“The Chief Minister said that Sagarmala is only for tourism, which is in contrary to Sagarmala report that talks about coal transportation,” D’Costa lamented as he was supported by Amonkar, who maintained that besides his constituency, the entire taluka are largely affected by coal pollution.
“The Sagarmala report points out to 30 projects including expansion of the Mormugao Port Trust, and creating new berths; double tracking, national highway, and the Tamnar transmission line among others. Why is the government lying to us then? We haven’t got a clear answer from the government,” Amonkar alleged while urging Sawant and Cabral to visit Mormugao to see the plight of the people owing to coal activities.
With other Opposition Legislators supporting the resolution, Vijai Sardesai demanded scrapping the project and withdrawing cases against the activists. “Are you increasing or decreasing pollution,” he asked the government while lamenting on the proposed felling of thousands of trees for the Tamnar project. The legislator also sought to know that while the government is looking for 1.20 crore footfalls after Mopa airport’s commissioning, why was it adamant on double tracking for ‘tourism’?
However, Cabral insisted that the Government is not promoting coal hub and explained, “Time and again we have been telling not to connect coal with the linear projects.” The CM too raised the same point although the Opposition leaders claimed that the three projects had links with coal.
With the voting in the Government’s favour, the Opposition led by Sardesai demanded division of votes. The House that had resumed after 15 minutes of tea break was later adjourned by the Speaker owing to disruption in the proceedings by the Opposition.
