MARGAO
Angry Davorlim villagers along with local MLA Luizinho Faleiro and anti-track doubling protesters got the Railways to stop track-doubling work in the village on Monday noon.
The focus shifted to the Davorlim level crossing in the morning as the villagers told the Railway officials and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials not to resume work till they produce the land documents as local villagers raised issues over the land.
Agitated villagers demanded that the MLA and the government get all the cases registered against the locals, including women, withdrawn immediately.
The villagers along with Faleiro walked to the railway level crossing site after they came face to face at the Davorlim panchayat ghar on the same issue. The villagers along with anti-tracking doubling protesters from neighbouring villages had assembled at the panchayat ghar demanding withdrawal of the cases registered against them and stop the track-doubling work.
As the villagers demanded answers to their questions, panch member Herculano Niasso telephoned Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro to come to the panchayat ghar and answer the queries.
Faleiro tried to explain how he had been fighting against coal and double-tracking projects since 2017 both within the Assembly and outside, and the letters he had written to the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister, but there were apparently no takers from the audience, who demanded immediate stop to the ongoing work and withdrawal of the cases.
The Navelim MLA pointed out that he had already dashed off letters to the Chief Minister to withdraw the cases filed against the people for the Chandor protest and the Davorlim incident.
After getting the work stopped at the level crossing, Faleiro said the railways have been told to get their documents since they claimed they have the necessary land papers. Till such time, the Railways have been told to stop all work on track-doubling, he added.
Faleiro told the media that he has requested the Chief Minister to send back all the police personnel brought from outside the state, saying law and order should be in the hands of Goan personnel.
Activist and villager Andrew Rebello said the villagers have got the work stopped on Monday since they suspect that the Railways have plans to take possession of additional land in the village. He also demanded immediate withdrawal of FIRs registered against the village women in an attempt to suppress and crush the peaceful agitation.
