the goan I network
MARGAO
Demanding to know why the Central government is treating the people of Goa as second class citizens, Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha on Thursday said she was surprised by the decision of the government to invoke the Railway Act 1989 to acquire land for the double tracking project.
Alina feigned total ignorance of the government’s move to invoke the Railway Act, saying she would immediately take up the issue with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday to come clear on the double tracking project.
Questioning the need for double tracking of the Railway line, the Cortalim MLA wondered why the Central government is pushing with the project when the South Western Railway is being hardly used by the people of Goa. “The government should come clear what are the benefits of the double tracking project and why the project is being pursued at the cost of the destruction of the people’s health, houses and the scarce land resources,” she demanded.
Expressing her utter surprise over the government’s decision, the Cortalim MLA said the Central government has lied to the people of Goa on the issue, reminding that the Centre had in the past categorically stated that the double tracking will take place up to Margao.
“Has the Central government any time bothered to find out the condition of the people living close to the railway line after they allowed the Railways to acquire their land at throw away prices,” she said, while wondering whether the Centre is pursuing the double tracking project for the industrialists and as a corridor for the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
