PANAJI
The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on Saturday visited Mollem, MPT and Tamdi Surla and in the process heard political leaders, members of Wildlife Board and NGOs which opposed the three linear projects.
It is learnt that all those who met CEC objected to the three projects, stating they are not in the interest of the state of Goa.
The CEC, over the last couple of days, has been visiting sites related to the three linear projects -- Tamnar power transmission line, doubling of SWR railway line and four-laning of the National Highway NH4A.
These projects have triggered widespread protests in Goa for several months over concerns of irreversible environmental damage to Unesco recognised world heritage biodiversity hotspot -- Mollem National Park.
The site at Sangod inspected by the PV Jayakrishnan headed CEC is in close proximity to protected forests of Mollem. Jayakrishnan is the former Union environment secretary and also had a stint as Chief Secretary of Goa in the early 1990s.
Meanwhile, the Jayakrishnan-led CEC team also visited Tambdi-Surla where they were seen in intense discussions and scrutinising maps with officials of the forest department and the project proponents scurrying to clarify issues.
While at Tambdi-Surla, the CEC was also met by a group of local villagers who presented a written representation. The CEC reportedly told the villagers that 'land issues' are to be dealt with by the State government.
Meanwhile, several stakeholders represented before the CEC at the Mormugao Port Trust facility in Vasco on Saturday evening.
Among them, was Prerna Singh Bindra, former member of the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife.
Bindra, an author and conservationist, presented a multiple-page letter to the CEC in which she outlined the ongoing 'people's movement' in Goa to save the forests.
