Team Herald
ALONG THE ROUTE OF THE SWR DOUBLE TRACKING PROJECT: Even as the Prime Minister in Delhi and the Chief Minister in Goa set out their goals and agenda across close to 25 villages in South Goa, people woke up to fight for the freedom of their Goa from decisions which are affecting the land, its forests, its wildlife and in some cases their very own habitats.
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The villagers united against the umbrella organisation Goencho Ekvott, backed by over 22 NGOs and allied organizations including Goencho Avaaz spearheaded by Capt Viriato Fernandes.
This agitation assumes significance since it managed to get villages across the entire route of the railway double tracking to come out, in pouting rain to speak about how the movement of coal and double tracking (in Cortalim and Salcete villages) and the National Highway expansion and high transmission line in Mollem and Bhagwan Mahavir Wild Life Sanctuary areas.
From panchas, to retired government servants, to young people who have returned to Goa, to housewives to teachers, cutting across each and every conceivable line – cultural, religious, economic, joined hands to become “ekvott”.
Team Herald too moved from village to village. While the programme started off at Sada early in the morning and one ground ended up at Comba in Margao moving through Cansaulim, Arrosim, Majorda , Seraulim upto Comba, there were simultaneous meetings in Chandor and other interior Salcete villages like Loutolim, Verna, Nuvem, Nagoa and coastal belt villages of Cavelossim and Benaulim.
The epicentre of destruction Mollem and Collem too witnessed enthusiastic meetings. Here is our location wise ground report
Headland Sada
Xencor Polgi, a resident from Headland Sada said, “People are not free in the real sense because the higher bureaucrats, big business lobbies involved in Coal want to bring in doubling of railway track for their financial benefits and not for people. We the people of Goa are strongly opposing this SWR doubling of railway track and coal handling.”
He also made an appeal to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to scrap the coal handling and doubling of railway track project.
Jayesh Shetgaonkar, from Headland Sada also opined that it is sad that on the Independence Day of India people have to come out and protest because the voices of the Goans are being suppressed just to support a few big business lobbies.
He also mentioned that despite opposition from the people of Goa against the Sagarmala project, nobody takes cognisance of this opposition. “I feel all these projects under Sagarmala should be cancelled”, he said.
Vasco
Custodio D’Souza from Vasco said, “I don’t feel independent because if we were independent we would have not come near railway track to protest against the coal and double track project. Tracking is being done to support a few coal businessmen. This doubling of railway track will adversely affect the houses, fields, plantations.”
He also questioned whether all 40 legislators are sleeping about this issue. He said, “If the legislators were serious about the demands of the Goan people then they would have not made the people come out in protest of this doubling of railway track project”.
Abhay Shetgaonkar from Vasco said, “I feel the local government is not taking the people’s opinion in decision making. There has been opposition from the people to this doubling of railway track project and despite that, the government is neglecting what people are saying. The double-track will go through wildlife sanctuary which will lead to the chopping of trees and houses will get affected with doubling of tracks. Currently, houses from Vasco area are facing the brunt of coal pollution; therefore it is the need to scrap this doubling of railway track project”.
Dabolim
Hemant Phadte from Dabolim said, “We do not want doubling of railway track for all its adverse effects. We the people from Dabolim will not allow the doubling of railway track which is for coal transportation at any cost.”
Francisco Nunes said, “A single railway track is serving the purpose of transportation of the passengers. Presently, there has been transportation of coal which will benefit few. Why can’t MPT be a “Green Port” wherein goods which are of use to civilians such as pharmaceutical products are transported?”
Nunes opined that the doubling of railway track project should not be allowed at any cost.
Cansaulim
Hundreds of people also gathered at the Cansaulim circle near the late Matanhy Saldanha’s statue to protest and demand the scrapping of the doubling of railway track project.
Capt Viriato Fernandes of Goencho Avaaz group said, “It’s an irony that on the Independence Day people have to come out the streets. Our founder leaders had promised us during the Independence that we will be free from poverty, caste, creed, slavery etc, but sadly we have become the slaves of the leaders. Crony capitalists will benefit from the coal transportation from Karnataka to MPT that’s why we are opposing the doubling of railway track project. More respiratory cases, the immunity of the people from Vasco has gone down because of coal pollution.”
He said, “On India’s Independence Day we must decide to overcome the fear, slavery of the crony capitalists who want to bring such a project.”
Olencio Simoes of Goenchea Raponkarancho Ekvott said, “People have agitated on various issues such as coal handling, nationalisation of rivers and CRZ notification.”
He said, “When people are demanding to scrap the doubling of railway tracks then the government is not listening. It feels like it is not the democracy, but the authoritative government of China. The peak of pollution in Vasco area is due to coal pollution, the respiratory system of the Vasco people has gone down. What havoc will it bring if the millions of tonnes of coal handling and transportation will be done? We demand that the project be scrapped. The government should focus on fighting pandemic and support people rather than trying to bring about a doubling of track project”.
Arossim
Locals from Arossim to show their solidarity to the movement gathered near St Lawrence Chapel.
Ella Mascarenhas, a villager said, “The doubling of railway track will bring no good, but instead it will bring destruction to the village. The speed at which the trains will move if a double-track comes will be too fast and frequent. The heritage houses have developed cracks and some of them have received irreparable damage. Coal transportation via double tracking will also have a bad effect on our health therefore; we must oppose this double-tracking.”
Dixon Vaz, head of the Seafarers Association of Goa said, “This movement today is to create awareness among people. This is the people’s movement and forth seeing the destruction which will be brought to the Mollem wildlife sanctuary and heritage houses, which we should not allow. There is no benefit of this double tracking project. We don’t want development at the destruction of our nature and health which is most likely to happen if Goa becomes a coal hub. Tourism will also be adversely affected if the coal pollution happens.”
GUIRDOLIM
The Guirdolim gram sabha on Saturday passed a special resolution opposing the doubling of railway tracks and the proposed new railway station in the village.
The villagers objected to the double tracking on grounds that it will be used to transport coal from the port to Karnataka and will result in destroying the serenity of the village besides proving to be a health hazard to the residents.
In the letter presented to the sarpanch opposing the railway tracks, Nikolai Cardoso, a student urged the sarpanch to help preserve the village for the future generation.
CHANDOR-CAVORIM
The villagers of Chandor-Cavorim held a silent protest holding banners objecting to the doubling of railway tracks. The protest began when the sarpanch unfurled the tri-colour to mark the Independence Day.
COLLEM
Naresh Shigaonkar from Shigao-Collem said, “Doubling of tracks will hamper the biodiversity of the Collem area. It is only going to benefit one or two businessman families at the cost of the lives of the common people from Goa.”
He said, “The panchayat has asked in its written letter to the concern Railway board and authorities to inform us in details about the project. The same was also directed by the Biodiversity board to the Railways, but they neglected it. We have not been taken into confidence and this project will bring more harm to the biodiversity of the villages therefore we are opposing it.”
Tribolo Souza, from Collem said, “I am opposing this project because this project is going to disturb the balance of flora and fauna and the natural habitat of the birds and animals. Dudhsagar waterfall is also going to get disturbed with this double tracking. There are hundreds of families who are dependent on the tourism-related to the Dudhsagar and if this project becomes a reality then they will lose their livelihood. Mass deforestation of trees will take place which will also going to create long term problems. I feel Goa doesn’t need such destructive project”.
COMBA
Goencho Ekvott protests culminated near the railway gate in Comba, Margao.
Royla Fernandes said, “I have joined the movement to protect our children and the generations to come. We are seeing 3 disastrous projects, do we need them?”
“Shouldn’t the Government prioritise the health and well being of people instead of these projects? Study has shown that the highest spread of infection in China was in areas which had coal handling. We don’t want that to happen here,” Royla said.
