MARGAO
The Goa Forward party staged a token protest against the power tariff hike, with party chief Vijai Sardesai saying that instead of providing discounted power supply to the people of Goa suffering pollution due to coal handling and transportation, the government on the contrary is making the lives of Goans miserable.
Party leaders and workers led by Sardesai assembled near the Margao Municipal Council on Saturday evening and made a bonfire of the power bills to send a message loud and clear to the government that the power tariff is not acceptable to the people of Goa.
“The country is generating electricity through thermal power stations using coal. Most of the coal is handed and transported to these thermal power stations through Goa. The health of the people of Goa, especially people staying in the Port Town of Vasco, is at great risk due to coal pollution. We have seen this during Covid when many people from Vasco were affected by Covid due to weak lungs because of coal pollution,” he said.
Saying he is not justifying the coal handling and transportation of coal from Goa, Sardesai, however said the government should have exempted the people of Goa from the tariff hike considering the serious health hazards they are being exposed to every day.
He also took pot shots at the BJP government for effecting the power tariff hike when the GST celebration initiated by the government is not over yet. “On one hand, Ministers and MLAs have just celebrated GST reduction, but the government is now pushing for power tariff hike which will affect the common man”, he added.
Party leaders Durgadas Kamat, Mohandas Lolienkar, Dilip Prabhudesai, party backed Margao Municipal Councillors, Warren Alemao and many otherS participated in the protest.
