MARGAO
With questions on the controversial three linear projects set to come up before the ensuing sessions of the Goa Legislative Assembly next week, Goyant Kollso Naka on Friday made a fervent plea to all the 40 MLAs to demonstrate to the people their commitment towards Goa by stepping over party lines and overcoming other small divides to fulfil the popular demand and the need of the hour by scrapping the three linear projects.
GKN said the organisation believes and has full faith that the people of Goa will continue to defend Goa from the greed of coal corporations, and from any other threats to the land and our future generations.
“We have gathered from media reports that some of the MLAs have moved resolutions against the double tracking and the 3 linear projects. GKN therefore calls upon all the MLAs from the BJP, Congress, MGP, AAP, GF and RG, and those who are independent, to unitedly resolve during the forthcoming assembly session to scrap the three linear projects and to save Goa from the grave threat of being converted into a coal hub,” asserted GKN co-convenors Abhijit Prabhudesdai and Xavier Fernandes.
Addressing the media, Abhijit pointed out that the GKN has served memos to all 40 MLAs and have met and interacted with 36 of them, across all political parties and regions of Goa, and have been promised by 34 legislators that they support stopping the double tracking works.
“All the citizens of Goa are now expectantly waiting for all the legislators to fulfil this commitment unanimously in the coming assembly session, rising over party and other divides, uniting in the service of our land and our communities. We continue to engage the legislators and are again meeting the 12 MLAs whose constituencies are affected by the rail doubling works, to convince them to ensure that the works are stopped during the coming assembly session,” he said.
Abhijit reminded the legislators that, being representatives of the people, they are bound to ensure that the well-being of the people and the struggles of the defenders of the land and environment are respected and achieved in the coming assembly session. “The three linear projects of double tracking, transmission lines and NH-4A widening are all unnecessary for Goa and will invite great disaster for Goa and must therefore be scrapped, which is both logical and the concerned people’s demand,” he said.
He added: The double tracking project was exposed after the Supreme Court order dated 13.5.2022 to be only for coal transportation to Karnataka, which the Supreme Court has asked to be transported from Krishnapatnam port on the east coast, and not Goa. The transmission lines project is not only unnecessary, since the existing transmission lines are enough for the next 10 to 15 years, but they are also in contempt of the Prime Minister’s promise to fight the crisis caused by rapidly changing climate, which requires Goa to install 358 MW of solar power, enough to power all homes and institutions across Goa. It is therefore common sense to scrap the transmission lines project and spend the Rs 1,500 crores to install free solar panels for all Goan homes and institutions, thus honouring the Prime Minister’s promise, while gifting free electricity to all Goans.”
Xavier Fernandes said the people of Goa are anxiously looking forward for all the 40 MLAs to say no to the three linear projects when the resolutions come up for discussion in the coming week.
