File photo of Congress delegation, led by then Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, at the Chandor candlelight protest on November 1-2, 2020, against coal transportation and double tracking. Captured by : The Goan
MARGAO
As the coal issue returns to the centre stage after the Indian Railways announced commissioning of the Hospet“Vasco double track, the historic 2020 Chandor agitation, wherein thousands of people had assembled at the historic village to say no to coal and track doubling, has come back to haunt Congress turncoats, including PWD Minister Digambar Kamat.
For, as Leader of the Opposition, the incumbent PWD Minister had led a Congress delegation to Chandor along with ex-Minister Alexio Sequeira, then MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, besides Alexio Sequeira, Sankalp Amonkar, incumbent MLAs Yuri Alemao and Alton D’Costa on the night of November 1“2, 2020 to protest against track doubling.
With Digambar, Alexio and Sankalp defecting to the BJP in 2022 and Curtorim Independent MLA Reginaldo Lourenco supporting the BJP dispensation, questions are indeed raised over their current stand on coal transportation and track doubling.
In fact, the Congress fired a salvo at the Congress turncoats, including PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, to outline their stand on the issue.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao recalled that defectors PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, ex-Minister Alexio Sequeira, Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, besides Curtorim Independent MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, had joined thousands of Goans on November 1, 2020 in the historic village of Chandor to oppose double tracking and to stop the government converting Goa into a coal hub.
“Digambar, Alexio and Sankalp had defected to the BJP in 2022. Reginaldo Lourenco had also extended support to the BJP government. They should explain to the people of Goa their stand on coal transportation since they had all joined Goans at Chandor to stop coal transportation,” Yuri said.
The Opposition also took pot shots at the BJP’s ardent workers over their silence on track doubling and coal transportation when former BJP Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar had opposed the project on the grounds that Goa cannot afford coal transportation and track doubling. “On the other hand, the current Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is strongly batting for track doubling and a coal hub against the wishes of the people of Goa,” he added.
Yuri said the MPT has plans to handle around 43.2 million metric tonnes of coal at the Port Trust in a year. “This means that around 4.3 crore trucks will be required to carry the coal in a single year, which will destroy Goa’s fragile environment and its carrying capacity,” he added.
