Team Herald
MARGAO: Former minister Joaquim Alemao’s son Yuri Alemao said Goa should not be a gateway for the benefit of other States and the lives of Goans should not be taken for granted for the commercial benefit of few private players.
Yuri said he was completely with the people of Chandor and Guirdolim who are fighting against making their village a coal hub through the double tracking of the railway lines passing through the villages and asserted that coal transportation through densely populated villages should not be allowed.
He said many youth in the villages are suffering from respiratory diseases due to coal transportation and warned that the situation would worsen if the double tracking is done as more coal will be transported.
Yuri said, “The Sagarmala project under which Zuari River will be used as a major waterway will result in the Kushawati River flowing through Chandor and Guirdolim being used to transport coal from the Port to Chandor and from there further through the railways.
He recalled that in 2010 when his father was the MLA representing the village, the Collector had banned heavy vehicles from passing through the historic and heritage villages of Chandor and Guirdolim and added the heritage has to be preserved for posterity.
Stating that double-tracking will destroy the heritage of the village, Yuri said it has to be opposed tooth and nail and assured his full support to the villagers in their battle.
