Multiple people’s groups unite for a single cause: STOP DOUBLE TRACKING

Team Herald

Vasco: The people’s movement against draconian projects with the railway double tracking the immediate cause of unrest on Monday, reached a flashpoint as well as an important phase on Monday.

Social groups Goencho Ekvott, an umbrella body of over twenty people’s groups, with Goencho Avaaz and the Village Action Committee Against Double Tracking as one of the more prominent ones, and the Goyant Kollso Naka took centre stage along with Opposition as well as ruling party and coalition MLAs, to stop the personal hearing pertaining to land acquisition of about 9 persons.

Such hearings were planned across the next ten days, to hear the objections of most of the people whose lands are sought to be acquired by the South Western Railways for the double tracking project’

During Monday’s protest, over two hundred Goans across Goa came in large numbers shouting slogans, singing protest songs etc. Locals were standing outside deputy collectors office in Vasco since afternoon 3 pm till late 7.30pm.

The Deputy Collector of Mormugao had to take a decision to defer the personal hearing till Oct 27, “a minor battle won in a long war”, in the words of former Naval officer and senior Goencho Ekvott member Captain Viriato Fernandes.

Earlier, as the crowd swelled and headed to the Deputy Collector’s office, he (Sachin Desai) summoned police force at his office and some political leaders, journalists and some activists were barred from entering the office.

The crowd did not relent. Nor did the present and ex-MLAs. NCP leader Churchill Alemao along with former Vasco MLA Jose Philip D’souza met Deputy Collector and discussed the matter. Alemao spoke to some section of the media and informed that he is with the people of Goa and supporting the people who want the government to drop the personal hearing for land acquisition for the purpose of double tracking.

Later, people’s groups met Deputy Collector of Mormugao Sachin Desai and briefed him on the doubling of the railway track and the reasons behind the people’s opposition to the doubling project. Desai then asked for 15 minutes to speak to his boss, the Collector South Goa, Ajit Roy.

Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo, who has been consistent in his support, said that the government should listen to the people’s voice and consider their opinion. If people want their personal hearing on land acquisition for double tracking to be scrapped then it should be deferred. First people need to be taken into confidence and the government should do what people demand.

Cortalim BJP MLA Alina Saldanha who was also present at this meeting at Deputy Collector’s office also asked pointed questions to the SDM. She asked if the SDM had ever travelled down the stretch where the doubling of track is going to happen and how the people’s lives will be affected miserably. Saldanha demanded that the personal hearing need to be differed.

Firebrand Green activist and a convenor of Goyant Kollso Naka group, Abhijit Prabhudessai said, “it is surprising that few months ago the state government imposed Section 144 in Goa due to CoVID pandemic and during the same time the people are being called for personal hearing for land acquisition for the double tracking. When majority of the people from Goa has opposed the double tracking project in Goa then the government should listen to the people”.

Captain Viriato Fernandes, co-convenor of Goencho Avaaz also said that people have given the clear signal that they don’t want coal transportation and handling in Goa. People don’t want railway double tracking therefore our demand before Deputy Collector was to stop or scrap the personal hearing of the villagers on land acquisition for the purpose of Doubling of the Railway track.

He further informed that he spoke to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant who told him “that the entire process of land acquisition and personal hearing for double tracking has been kept on halt. If the govt doesn’t listen to the people then this agitation will grow bigger” Fernandes added. 

Another activist and a general secretary of Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott, Olencio Simoes came down heavily on the local administrative authority and said that several times villagers from the coastal belt of South Goa had objected to the doubling of the railway track. “When there is a government health advisory for the senior citizens to stay safe at home, then how can the SDM call for personal hearing on land acquisition for double tracking,” he questioned.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Collector Sachin Desai informed reporters that he had called nine people for personal hearing after scrutinising their objections for the land acquisition process. 

Desai further explained that the personal hearings have not been cancelled but deferred till Oct 27. He spoke to the higher authorities and briefed them about the large protest outside his office because of which he couldn’t take any personal hearings. Desai also added that further communication to the people whether the new notices to be issued etc will be done in due course of time.

The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee members headed by GPCC vice chief Sankalp Amonkar also came to meet Deputy Collector of Mormugao. The GPCC members were furious and were seen holding hoardings against the doubling of railway tracks, opposing Goa from making coal hub and heavily criticising the ministers and MLAs from the ruling state government.