the goan I network
MARGAO
Sao Jose de Areal villagers in one voice on Sunday said a firm no to the track doubling project passing through the village, saying it is not in the interest of the local villages, but to benefit big industrial houses for coal transportation.
The villagers further demanded to know how the railway authorities are ready to pump in crores of rupees for the project when their plea for a road over bridge at the railway crossing was ignored over the years.
Armed with placards directed against coal transportation and rail doubling, Areal villagers turned up in large numbers for the special gram sabha, which was specifically called to discuss and deliberate on the proposal of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd to acquire 3000-odd square meters of land in the village for the proposed track doubling project.
Activist Peter Viegas was highly critical of the railway authorities as well as the South Collectorate officials for trying to take possession of the land in question without following the mandatory acquisition rules.
"These officials tried to exploit the simple Scheduled Tribe people by seeking their signatures on consent letters in a bid to bulldoze and take possession of the land," Peter alleged, demanding to know whether the authorities can take the land in question in possession without following the mandatory land acquisition norms.
Another activist Freddy Travasso pointed out that Areal villagers want to live peacefully in the village and are not interested in the rail doubling project. "The railways want to lay a second line and also build a second platform. But the villagers are not interested in the proposal. As it is, the villages are hit by coal transportation and they will be hit the most if the rail doubling project is taken up," he said.
Freddy demanded to know why the railway and state government authorities did not display the same zeal and enthusiasm when the villagers were demanding a road overbridge at the South Western Railway crossing. "The railways now say they want to upgrade the railway station, but the people are not interested. The villagers may not have any problem even if the railways removes the station from Areal," he added.
A villager Francis Xavier Fernandes said that the rail doubling is not in the interest of the village, but is being pursued to benefit big business houses by transporting coal. "Areal villagers are already affected by the Carbon factory. Coal transportation will only aggravate the situation for the villagers," he said.
He said people of Areal had been knocking the doors of the railway and state authorities for a road over bridge at the railway crossing, but in vain. "Our children cannot make it to the schools on time. The railways never thought of attending to our grievances over the years," he lamented, while opposing the rail doubling project.
Village Sarpanch Perris D'Costa later told the media that the special gram sabha has firmly opposed the rail doubling project passing through the village. "The panchayat had convened the special gram sabha to elicit the views of the villagers. In one voice the rail doubling project has been opposed," Perris said, adding that the entire panchayat body will support the villagers in the battle against the South Western Railway or the KRC.
