Vasco: The people pf South Goa who had in large numbers objected to the acquisition of their land for railway double tracking have served an ultimatum the government not to hold personal hearings. These hearings are a part of the land acquisition process.
This is as clear a message that the people’s groups want a suspension of the land acquisition process.
As Herald has reported extensively most stakeholders have not been taken into confidence and the few who had agreed to the condition in Majorda village have received no compensation.
At today’s meeting, Goencho Ekvott (GE) group along with Village Action Committee Against Doubling of South Western Railway track submitted memorandum to the Deputy Collector of Mormugao requesting him to drop the personal hearings of the people in connection with the land acquisition process for the doubling of railway track project.
A Goencho Ekvott member explained to the Deputy Collector that the local people are very agitated about the fact that the state govt is overlooking the strong opposition from the people for doubling the railway track project and if govt authorities continue to go ahead against people’s will then the situation might go out of control.
Convenor of Goencho Ekvott, Creson Antao, Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott general secretary Olencio Simoes, VACAD convenor Orville Dourado Rodrigues and other members, informed reporters that their group recently met the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and requested him to scrap (initiate the process to) the doubling of railway track project as people are agitated and strongly opposing this project as it will bring more coal and more misery to the people.
In that meeting, the group was asked to wait for fifteen days by Chief Minister and assurance was given to have another round of meeting with the Goencho Ekvott and other supporting groups,” said GE members.
Considering this development, the Goencho Ekvott group urged the Deputy Collector of Mormugao Sachin Desai to drop personal hearing on the land acquisition process for this project. People have submitted their objections to the Deputy Collector’s office and have opposed tooth and nail of doubling of track project, said Goencho Ekvott members.
Olencio Simoes, member of Goencho Ekvott told reporters that in the year 2018, under the Fare Right to Compensation Act 2013, notices were served to the land owners by the government authority for land acquisition and at that time the villagers had opposed. This time once again by applying the Railway Act 1989 govt is trying to acquire land for doubling of railway track, which we are opposing.
He further said that we want to bring it to the notice of the govt that people are against this project. The Chief Minister had also asked for some time to give answers to the queries of the locals. If the Central govt thinks that Goans will keep quiet on the anti environment projects, then it is a wrong impression.
“People’s health, heritage and environment will be adversely affected from this project can’t govt see this,” he questioned. Simoes also reminded that “the Union minister Nitin Gadkari had said that if Goans are against the doubling of track project then the project will be shifted to Maharashtra then why they are not doing it now” Simoes questioned.
Orville Dourado Rodrigues, VACAD convenor, said that during the CoVID pandemic time, the old villagers are being served notices for personal hearing for land acquisition process for doubling of track when people have come out in open and have sent their objections to the Deputy Collector and other authorities.
He further questioned, why the state govt is not working in the interest of the Goan people who have elected the MLAs and Ministers.
