MARGAO
Feeling betrayed by the double-tracking work which has been going on despite protests and verbal assurances by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, people of Nuvem constituency on Sunday sent a strong message to Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa, asserting the government will be absolutely wrong if it thinks that time-consuming and delaying tactics will calm the people.
Even as the people unitedly requested D’Sa to stand in solidarity with his constituents in rejecting the three controversial projects, the Nuvem MLA assured that he would immediately seek an appointment with the Chief Minister to discuss the issue with the people of his constituency.
Seeking written assurances from the MLA that he is with the people agitating against the controversial projects, the people urged the MLA to get the work stopped immediately and called for the withdrawal of the RPF forces to save the taxpayers from bearing additional cost that will go in vain as it is not in the interest of people of Goa.
In the memorandum submitted to the MLA, the people appealed to D’Sa to raise his voice along with the people of Goa and sought a written assurance that he will stand with the people to safeguard the tiny and beautiful state for posterity.
The people warned that they know what to do if they don’t get a satisfactory reply from the government. “If that doesn’t happen, God forbid what can happen after that. At that point, the government will not be able to control anger of the people,” they said
They pointed out that the people of Goa have been on the streets for the last two months now maintaining night vigils and agitating on the roads.
The Nuvem MLA explained to the people that he is meeting the Chief Minister along with the sarpanchas of Nuvem constituency, and added the Chief Minister has promised to stop 100 per cent coal handling in the state. “The Chief Minister has assured that not a single cubic meter of additional coal will be handled at the MPT. The CM has also assured that the government will phase out coal in the future,” D’Sa said, adding that the Chief Minister will come out with a firm statement after his meeting with the Union Coal Minister who is expected to visit the state around mid-December.
The MLA later told the media that the Chief Minister will come out with a detailed statement on coal handling after the visit of the Union Coal Minister to Goa on December 15. “The Chief Minister is in favour of phasing out coal handling at the MPT. He will make the statement on December 15 after discussing the matter with the Union Coal Minister,” D’Sa said.
With the people seeking written assurances from the MLA that he stands by the people to oppose the contentious projects, the Nuvem MLA said he would soon take an appointment with the Chief Minister to discuss the issue with the people from his constituency.
Former Loutolim Sarpanch Xavier Fernandes made a fervent plea to the MLA to stop the proposed construction of a jetty at Rassaim at a cost of Rs 6.5 crore. Saying the jetty is being constructed to transport coal, Xavier said the people of Loutolim will fight tooth and nail to oppose the jetty construction in the village.
