MARGAO
Davorlim became the flashpoint yet again as anti-track doubling and coal transportation protestors, Davorlim villagers along with Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro once again got the district administration and the railways to stop work on the track doubling on Tuesday.
Locals warned the administration led by deputy Collector, Margao Jyoti Kumari that the issue could snowball into a major law and order problem if the authorities dare resume the work when the railways have not obtained permission from the Davorlim panchayat body and when Cabinet Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues had announced stoppage of all double tracking work in the State.
After much discussion near the railway crossing, Deputy Collector Kumari announced the stoppage of the double tracking work in Davorlim village, but made it abundantly clear that the administration will implement whatever decision that is taken by the government on the issue in the future.
As anticipated, railway officials led by Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd General manager (Projects), Sahoo, deputy Collector, Margao Jyoti Kumari, Salcete mamlatdar Prataprao Gaonkar arrived at the Davorlim railway crossing with documents showing that the railways have taken up work in the village after procuring the property from the land owners. Goa Police and armed Railway Protection Force were mobilized in strength at the level crossing as a precautionary measure.
Anti-track doubling activists led by Goencho Ekvott Convenor Creson Antao, co-convenor Capt. Viriato Fernandes, local MLA Luizinho Faleiro, local activist Andrew Rebello and women, however, point blank demanded to stop work in the village in view of Cabinet Minister Filipe Neri’s promise to halt all work on the double tracking project. “Cabinet Minister Filipe Neri had announced a day ago that he would get the work stopped. Are we going to believe a cabinet Minister, who represents the Goa government or the officials. Once a Cabinet Minister makes an announcement, it should be considered as a responsible statement and should be honoured. If it is not honoured, there will be a law and order situation and we will not be able to control”, Faleiro warned.
On the other hand, deputy Collector, Kumari insisted that the only question that needs to be deliberated is whether the land in question has been procured by the railways or not. Faleiro, Capt. Viriato and other local villagers, however, rejected the deputy Collector’s contention and demanded that she get the police out from the spot, saying the police presence is intimidating the peace loving people. The deputy Collector brought documents to show the amount of money that has been received by the people for land acquisition, but the villagers shouted back saying the locals were misguided to part with the land, without explaining it will be used for double tracking to transport coal.
As the stalemate continued, Salcete Mamlatdar Prataprao Gaonkar first had a word with the railway officials and went into a huddle with Deputy Collector, Kumari before the deputy collector announced that work on the project in Davorlim will stop pending government decision.
It is learnt the Salcete Mamlatdar maintained it’s better to stop work at Davorlim than to aggravate matters since Salcete’s lone Minister Filipe Neri had a day ago announced in Sao Jose de Areal that the government would soon stop work on the project. “We will stop the work today. You can air your grievances to the Collector. Your voice is being heard at different levels. But, we will follow whatever decision that comes from the government on the project’, Kumari said.
While the deputy Collector’s decision to stop work brought a sigh of relief and averted a law and order problem, Capt. Viriato Fernandes said “I take the decision with a pinch of salt. We don’t believe the deputy Collector. The same lady had come to Chandor and at 5 am on November 2, she had taken some names promising to call us for discussions, but in vain. We don’t want the deputy Collector or Collector, but the government should decide”, Capt. Viriato added.
