Goyant Kollso Naka activists and residents of Chandor and Guirdolim in the yatra against coal transportation on Friday.
MARGAO
The ancient capital of Goa, Chandor reverberated to the cries against coal transportation on Friday, as the Goyant Kollso Naka flagged off its state-wide yatra, which will wend its way across the villages to spread awareness on coal transportation and to drum up support against the project.
Attired in black T-shirts and wearing black masks, with a slogan Goyant Kollso Naka, the participants took out a motor rally in Chandor and Guirdolim, before walking on foot to send out one clear-cut message to the government – that coal transportation and double tracking projects are not in the interest of Goa and they will fight till the end to get these projects scrapped.
With the yatra commencing on Friday to coincide with Gandhi Jayanti, Activist Abhijit Prabhudesai said that Goyant Kollso Naka chose October 2 to kick-off the Yatra, saying “Gandhiji gave the country freedom from colonial rule and we the people of Goa will fight till the end to liberate the State from coal”.
And, the speakers invoked the name of eminent freedom fighter Tristao Braganza Cuncha, a great son of Chandor, to send a message that they will follow the path shown by these great leaders to protect the state from becoming a coal hub.
Abhijit said the Yatra will focus on explaining and informing the people on the coal transportation projects and its ill-effects on the people. ‘We have thought of the yatra because has started the work by
keeping the people in the dark. We will place before the people the facts on coal transportation projects and the people will decide for themselves how to go about stopping the government from pursing these projects”, he added.
Abhijit said it’s now nearly 5-6 months since the government was petitioned with all the information on the coal transportation projects, but the government has not replied back till date. “There’s no reply to the scores of letters written to the government, but we are confident that we are treading the right path and the path of truth”, he added.
Vikas Bhagat wondered why should Goans always have to descend on the streets to fight for their liberation from colonial rule, to maintain its separate identity, language and culture. “Today, we have all assembled in the land which had given birth to the great freedom fighter T B Cunha, who was a big inspiration during the freedom movement. Goa belongs to the people of Goa and we will never allow our green and beautiful Goa to become black by coal in the future”, he asserted.
A local resident Joy D’Silva said he has no doubt that the people will emerge victorious in the battle against plans to make Goa a coal hub. “There are some people who are out to play with nature and environment, but they do not know that these are God’s gift for the human beings. Those who are out to destroy Goa will only get the cruses of the people”, he said.
Joy pointed out that around five trains used to run on the South Western railway passing through Chandor. “These trains were all for the benefit of the people as it facilitated their travel”, he said, adding that the double tracking project is only meant for the big corporates to transport the coal.
