PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday sought to play down the size of the infra projects at Mollem even as he indirectly gave the stir a political tinge saying such agitations by environmental NGOs flare up when an election is around.
"Not more than 13,000 trees will be cut for the Tanmar power project," Sawant said at a function in the capital city, adding that he guarantees that Mollem will not be destroyed.
The National Highway project at Mollem will not be started now, he further said, adding that only the initial stage planning for the State's needs for the next 25 years is proposed.
“The proposal is for the next 25 years. That does not mean we will have the National Highway there now,” Sawant said.
On the 400 KV Tamnar power line project, Sawant claimed that only six poles will be erected inside the actual forested area.
On the railway double tracking, he said nearly 300 kilometers stretch is already completed and only a 70-km section from Collem to Castlerock is left.
Modification to take it underground by tunnels will be explored and no one will destroy Mollem, he asserted.
Sawant also claimed that MPT’s coal handling volumes will be capped at its current 15 million tonnes a year levels.
