MARGAO
Asserting that the Government’s pressure tactics will not cow down the people agitating against track-doubling and coal transportation, Goencho Ekvott Co-convenor, Capt Viriato Fernandes, has said that people are ready to face bullets of the police so that the present generation is not blamed for not doing anything to stop the destruction of Goa.
Before the start of Goencho Ekvott’s awareness meeting at Chinchinim, Capt Viriato made a fervent plea to the people of Goa to come in large numbers at Davorlim railway crossing on Sunday night and give their five hours for the future generation.
“People had come to Chandor in thousands in response to the call given by Goencho Ekvott. We appeal to the people of Goa to give their five hours to the future generations by coming in thousands at Davorlim on Sunday night. We should be ready to sleep on the tracks and even face police bullets so that we don’t give a chance to the future generation to blame us for doing nothing to save Goa for them,” he added.
Accusing Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral of misleading the people, Capt Viriato said Goencho Ekvott and the people of Goa will soon expose the lies of the government as they have become slaves of the crony capitalists.
Goencho Ekvott Convenor Creson Antao gave a call to the people of Chinchinim in particular and Goans, in general, to come in large numbers at the Davorlim railway crossing on Sunday night to oppose the double-tracking.
He warned that villages adjoining Betul will face a similar fate as that of Vasco if the multi-purpose terminal becomes a reality in Betul. “The Sagarmala report shows that a multi-purpose port will come at Betul. This would affect the lives of the people,” he warned.
Meanwhile, responding to Nilesh Cabral in strong words, Captain Viriato Fernandes stated that “the people of Goa will fight it out till their last breath, and not allow the coalition government of BJP, Adani, Sterlite, Vedanta and Jindal to destroy our land, our wildlife sanctuaries, our environment, our health and the future of our youth.”
Founder member of Goencho Ekvott Orville Dourado Rodrigues said that Nilesh Cabral must stop acting like an agent of the corporates at the cost of the health, livelihood and environment of the tiny state of Goa. Goans will never forget the great betrayal by one whom they considered as one of their own, he added.
Researchers and lawyers from the Amche Mollem citizens group stated that they are intrigued by Cabral’s “logical conclusion” and why the public interest of these projects remains unexplained to citizens and at the same time forest clearance proposals from the Ministry of Environment’s web portal have “mysteriously disappeared”.
