MARGAO
A protest meeting called by the Congress party at the Lohia Maidan, Margao, on Saturday under the banner of “Only Goal Say No To Coal and Save Mollem From Destruction” has resolved to oppose plans to set up a coal hub in Goa in order to meet the coal requirements of industries in other states.
The meeting addressed by Congress stalwarts, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, MLAs Pratapsing Rane and Luizinho Faleiro and South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha has further resolved to oppose the laying of railway double tracks from Vasco-da-Gama to Hospet, meant only to transport coal from Mormugao Port Trust to various industries situated in neigbouring Karnataka, Maharashtra and other States causing serious health hazards to the people of Goa.
The meeting further demanded immediate dropping of the FIRs filed against the six activists with their names and unknown others for their participation in the people’s protest at Chandor on November 2.
The meeting resolved to continue to be the voice of the people to protect the identity of Goa and its environment as it unanimously resolved to continue its participation in all the protests, agitations to preserve the environment, forest and wildlife of the State.
While expressing its firm resolve to oppose the expansion of national highways meant to establish expressway solely for coal transportation creating health hazards and also destroying the identity of Goa, the meeting further resolved to request the Congress Parliamentary Party to move an amendment in Parliament to exclude MPT from the Major Ports Authority Bill 2020 which gives absolute power to the ports to enact laws bypassing the State laws and local bodies.
The meeting further resolved to demand from Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to conduct a cumulative Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to assess the overall and collateral impact and damage on the environment, health, on flora and fauna, the waterfalls at Dudhsagar and its overall impact on tourism industry in Goa.
It has further resolved to demand public hearing of all the three projects which are passing through Bhagvan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park causing mass destruction of bio-diversity.
Kamat demanded to know why the double-tracking project was underway if it was not for coal, saying that only three passengers trains are running on the SWR route.
He warned the people of Goa to remain vigilant, saying the day is not too far when the MPT is privatized and given to the corporates.
“Don’t keep quiet. This agitation should be taken to its logical end. The Congress party will support the people to the very end,” Kamat said, while asserting that a government that does not pay heed to the voice of the people has no right to rule the state.
In his address, former Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane said Goa’s environment will be destroyed if plans to make the state a coal hub are not stalled. He called upon the people to continue the movement, saying the people should not buckle any pressure till the plans are scrapped.
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha warned that the people will not hesitate to block the entire railway track if the need arises and if the government does not listen to the voice of the people.
Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro warned that the ruling dispensation should not think that Goa is a colony of the centre, warning that Goans will never accept the projects thrust on them.
“Goans will fight till these coal mafias, who are the friends of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. When all the countries and the UN are against coal, why is the PM giving green signal to import coal from abroad?” Faleiro wondered.
Congress leader Sankalp Amonkar and activist Raju Cabral have warned the railways and the government that lakhs of people would come out to fight against coal. They demanded to know the need for double-tracking when the government speaks about capping 12 million tonnes of coal at the MPT.
South Goa Congress Chief Joe Dias, M K Shaik, Pratima Coutinho, Varad Mardolkar, Shankar Polji, Jayesh Shetgaonkar and North Goa Congress President Vijay Bhike also addressed the meeting.
