MARGAO
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) lone MLA Churchill Alemao has said that he and state party president, Jose Philip D’Souza, have rallied behind the people opposing the double-tracking and coal transportation projects as these are not in the interest of Goa and its people.
Churchill told the media that he discussed the matter with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and got the hearing of the land acquisition process postponed by Deputy Collector, Vasco. “I had assured members of Goencho Ekvott when the NGO had held a meeting in Benaulim last week that I will side with the people opposing these projects. Hence, I convinced the Chief Minister to call off the hearing before the Deputy Collector, Vasco, indefinitely since the issue concerns the health of citizens,” he said.
Reminding that he had only extended issue-based support to the Pramod Sawant government in the state, Churchill said he has decided to side with the people of Goa opposing the double- tracking and coal transportation. “I told the CM that the double-tracking project is not in the interest of the state. The transportation of coal will affect the health of the people. We do not want the future generations to blame us for converting Goa into a coal hub,” he added.
