PANJIM, AUG 27
The Opposition to 4-lanning of NH-17 and NH-4 has grown stronger with more political leaders and social activists extending support to affected people opposing widening of national highways.
Besides Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar, ex-MLAs Nirmala Sawant, Fatima D’Sa and Mathany Saldanha — Dr Oscar Rebello, Adv Aires Rodrigues, Prof Prajal Sakhardande joined hands with newly constituted National Highway Diversion Action Committee (NHDAC) at a public meeting held at Gomantak Maratha Samaj hall today evening.
Speaker after speaker minced no words in criticizing the government for blindly following diktats of National High Authority of India (NHAI) even as they maintained that they were not opposed to development and widening of the two national highways.
Key speakers alleged that expansion is allowed as somebody somewhere is getting kick-backs while interest of the locals who are directly affected has been sidelined.
Addressing the large gathering Parrikar, said he was supporting the agitation to “Save Goa” and that he was totally opposed to expansion of the highways in its present form. “If the current plan is allowed to be executed Goans will have to face ill-effects of the expansions,” he warned.
It will lead to division of villages, people using NHs will have to shell out at least Rs 1000-1500 extra for a distance of ten kilometres in the form of toll and, people residing along highways will have to endure noise pollution caused due to vehicles passing at the speed of 100-120 kmph, he said.
“In foreign countries barriers are installed on sides to protect people living in the vicinity from noise pollution,” said Parrikar adding all these issues need to be considered.
He criticised the government for offering pittance for land which it is acquiring for the expansion of highways.
Matanhy said Kamal Nath (Union minister for Road Transport and Highways) can’t do what he wants and extended his supports to people who are facing the risk of losing their houses due to expansion.
Extending his support to the agitation, Prof Sakhardande said all those heritage structures which have not been notified by the government are in danger of being destroyed in the expansion.
The Heritage Action Group will oppose the government if it doesn’t change its expansion plan, he said.
Social Activist Adv Aires Rodrigues said before taking up expansion of highways the government should have repaired the roads which are in bad shape.
NADAC convenor Sunil Prabhessai said the government did not bother to address their grievances even as they have been agitating for the last six months. Others who spoke against the expansion in its present form include Fatima D’Sa and Dr Chodankar, who runs the Chodankar Hospital in Porvorim and which is facing the axe due to the expansion.
