PANAJI
A green body of the influential Catholic Church in Goa has come out strongly against the South Western Railways (SWR) double tracking on the Hospet-Vasco route citing "strong public sentiment" and a 2021 judgement of the Supreme Court of India against the project.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the 'Diocesan Commission for Ecology' of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman voiced strong opposition to the SWR's double-tracking project on the back of concerns for the environment and "well-being" of the people of the State.
"The Commission stands in solidarity with the Goan people and their just struggle. We believe that sustainable and responsible development is not to be at the cost of the environment or the well-being of the local population," the statement signed by its convenor Father Bolmax Pereira, said.
It also cited the project's proven ecological destructiveness, the landmark Supreme Court ruling against it, and the persistent public outcry as the basis for its stand.
"The Commission draws attention to the significant Supreme Court order of May 9, 2022, which set aside the wildlife clearance granted to the double-tracking project passing through the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park," the statement said.
Pereira, himself a doctorate in Botany, said the Supreme Court ruling came on the back of the "damning report" of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) which termed the project "inefficient," "unjustified," and "potentially destructive."
"It highlighted that the project would cause irreparable harm to the fragile ecosystem of the Western Ghats -- a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot and a vital wildlife corridor," Pereira said in the statement, adding that the verdict underscored the judiciary's recognition of the project's severe environmental costs.
"The Commission believes it remains true for the entire railway line (Hospet to Vasco-da-Gama)," Pereira said, adding that the public opposition to it has been consistent.
"Since its announcement, the project has been met with a massive public outcry, widely reported in local and national newspapers. The media in Goa has extensively covered the sustained protests by local communities, environmental activists, and various civil society groups," Pereira said.
The public protests have consistently raised concerns of the project's impact on public health linked to a significant increase in coal transportation.
"It would exacerbate air pollution from coal dust, posing a severe risk of respiratory ailments and other health issues for residents living along the route," Pereira said in the statement issued on behalf of the Commission.
