Team Herald
AMONA, SANKHALI: A true people’s rally beat any orchestrated political rally hands down, as each of the 7,000 chairs, except the ones marked for the ruling party and their supporting MLAs were filled and then there were hordes who stood all around the ground, a private land of the Sankhali Municipal Council Chairperson, who offered his space when the Chief Officer of his own Council revoked permission to hold the rally in Sankhali town.
Pictures from drones and on the ground clearly indicated the presence of above 10,000 people.
Activists, environmentalists, writers, authors, members of local bodies, and above all the common Goan with a sense of huge loss, but armed with the strength to fight came there to lend hand, a voice, and of course their hearts.
Surely, Goa may have fought for Mhadei’s water in the Water Disputes Tribunal and in government offices, and in meetings at the highest level. But it was here on January 16; the 56th anniversary of the historic Opinion Poll Day (Asmitai Dis), that the court of the people met and passed one judgment that can never be overturned- that true Goans will never give up their rights over their water and lifeline-Mhadei.
There were the very young who came with their canvases and water colours putting their feelings on paper, the elderly who came with their walking sticks, and the youth who came with their lung power. Women from all sections and across Goa turned up in massive numbers, knowing that one day the fires in their kitchens may not burn if they don’t fight the good fight on the streets now.
Save Mhadei Save Goa convenor Hrudaynath Shirodkar thought the figure of attendees was higher and was delighted to confirm that the attendance is more than 12,000 people from all the talukas of Goa. “We had 7,000 chairs, all were full. More chairs were brought as back up and that too was exhausted,” he added.
Shirodkar said, “Looking at the turnout I can today say that the government wouldn’t attempt to cancel permissions for our meetings.”
Looking at the tremendous response to the agitation the organisers have decided and conveyed to the people that they will take the agitation to the villages of Goa to make people aware of the consequences of the diversion of River Mhadei.
