MARGAO
Intensifying its agitation against plans to make Goa a coal hub, social activists on Saturday stopped work on the NH-17B missing link between Borim and Verna at Angddi-Loutolim on grounds that the work was being carried out clandestinely without finalizing the Borim bridge alignment.
The social activists descended at the spot where work on hill cutting has been underway since the last 10 days. Three heavy earth moving machinery, which was deployed at the site for excavation and hill cutting, were
told to stop all work at the site by the activists.
Activist Sidharth Karapukar told The Goan that work at the site was being pursued by the PWD without even displaying a board as mandatory as per the rules. He said the alignment of the new Borim bridge has not been finalized, wondering how the government can even think of commencing work at the site without finalizing the bridge alignment.
"This work is being carried out by the PWD to facilitate coal transportation against the wishes of the people of Goa. The government is bulldozing with the project against the wishes of the Goan people," Karapurkar said, while pointing out that the people of Goa have now resolved to oppose tooth and nail the government's plans to make Goa a coal hub and the river nationalization.
After the activists made their presence felt at the spot and stopped the work, senior PWD officers spoke to them over the phone, promising to hold a power point presentation before commencing further work at the site.
The activists pointed out that the no information on the excavation has been displayed at the site, more so when the work is being carried out a steep gradient. They demanded to know the quantity of mud excavated at the site and the site where the mud is dumped. Karapurkar claimed that the contractor had already destroyed over 100 trees, while demanding a probe and an assessment of damage caused by forest dept.
Activist Sidharth Karapukar told The Goan that work at the site was being pursued by the PWD without even displaying a board as mandatory as per the rules. He said the alignment of the new Borim bridge has not been finalized, wondering how the government can even think of commencing work at the site without finalizing the bridge alignment.
"This work is being carried out by the PWD to facilitate coal transportation against the wishes of the people of Goa. The government is bulldozing with the project against the wishes of the Goan people," Karapurkar said, while pointing out that the people of Goa have now resolved to oppose tooth and nail the government's plans to make Goa a coal hub and the river nationalization.
After the activists made their presence felt at the spot and stopped the work, senior PWD officers spoke to them over the phone, promising to hold a power point presentation before commencing further work at the site.
The activists pointed out that the no information on the excavation has been displayed at the site, more so when the work is being carried out a steep gradient. They demanded to know the quantity of mud excavated at the site and the site where the mud is dumped. Karapurkar claimed that the contractor had already destroyed over 100 trees, while demanding a probe and an assessment of damage caused by forest dept.
