MARGAO
From the historic village of Chandor, once the capital of Goa, to the Lohia Maidan in Margao “ the symbol of Goa’s liberation movement against the colonial rule “ the anti-coal agitation has come a long way over the past five years.
While addressing the media at the historic Lohia Maidan, Margao on Thursday, social activist have vowed to take the agitation forward till the government abandons plans to convert Goa into a coal hub.
In fact, they charged the government for attempting to bulldoze its way through plans to turn Goa into a coal hub to serve the interests of crony capitalists.
Leader of Goyant Kollso Naka Abhijit Prabhudesai said the social activists waging a sustained battle against plans to convert Goa into a coal hub have been left with no option than to mobilise the people of Goa again to register their strong protest against the government’s coal plans.
“This government does not seem to pay heed to public sentiments against coal. The message that was sent from Chandor exactly five years ago, was that the people of Goa are against coal and the infrastructure laid to facilitate coal transportation,” he said.
Prabhudesai pointed out that plans for dredging of the Mormugao bay, the double tracking project on the South Western Railway are all pointers that the government and the Railways are rushing with the project detrimental to the people of Goa.
“The people of Goa are forced to come out again to register their protest against coal and track doubling project. The government seemed hell-bent to build the new high level Borim Bridge to facilitate coal transportation. These are all projects which are anti-people and will affect the health and lives of the people of Goa in a big way,” he warned.
