VASCO
A group of villagers along with activists and leaders from different political parties on Wednesday said they had no faith in assurances by the Railways and Cortalim MLA Anton Vas over shifting of tracks and safeguarding the houses along the tracks.
They insisted that Cortalim MLA Anton Vas should, instead, join hands with them to oppose the doubling of tracks in the villages of Velsao, Pale and Issorcim.
Speaking to reporters at a news conference, Velsao Sarpanch Diana Gouveia said the people had gathered to express the issues of double tracking and pollution in the village.
“As a Sarpanch, I am with the people and will support them because I am elected by them. Regarding the inspection by the MLA, the panchayat did not get any notice and we were not aware of the inspection. It would have been better if we were informed so that people could be aware of the inspection,” said Gouveia.
“I feel the Railways must show us their plans and only then can we believe them because we have been asking them for their documents all this while but they have not showed us anything and we want everything in written from the Railways,” said Gouveia.
‘STATEMENTS TO FOOL LOCALS’
Former Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha said statements by the Railways and Cortalim MLA Anton Vas appeared to be an eyewash to fool innocent villagers.
“This is an issue where people have been struggling for a long time and there does not seem to have a solution. Some landowners were sent notices for land acquisition and the process is not complete, but shockingly the Railways is barging into anyone’s properties to carry out the work,” said Saldanha.
“Works have started on lands which have not been acquired and the Railways have dug and even put up poles. People are being manipulated and we see that the MLA has gone to a few houses and said that tracks will be shifted on the eastern side, which is close to the roads.”
“We want to ask the Railways if the tracks will be laid on the road and what about houses by the roadside and what about the hospital which requires low decibel sound?”
“We even marked the area and we realised that the distance of 14 metres from the existing tracks would land in the compound and verandah of the existing houses. Coal from Australia can be taken directly to Karnataka, which has 12 ports,” said Saldanha.
‘NO BENEFIT FOR GOANS’
Goencho Ramponkarancho Ekvott President Angelo Rodrigues said Goans did not want double tracking at all because it had no benefits for Goans.
“We have no benefits from coal transportation and doubling of tracks will only increase the quantity of coal and increase the pollution. MLA Anton Vas is taking about underpass only for walking and not for vehicles, but this will make life even more complicated as ambulances may have to wait for hours together to come to the other side of the tracks and this will be worsened further with double tracks,” said Rodrigues.
Others who spoke at the press conference included Goencho Ekvott founder Orville Dourado, Former panch Camilo Souza, Max Dsouza, Xencor Polgi and others.
CM likely to inspect Cansaulim-Velsao stretch
VASCO: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is likely to inspect sites for the doubling tracking along the Cansaulim-Velsao stretch during his visit to Sancoale on Thursday.
According to sources, Cortalim MLA Antonio Vas along with former Velsao panch Roquezinho D’Souza and others met Sawant on Wednesday evening and apprised him of the issues pertaining to the double tracking and coal pollution.
“Sawant expressed happiness at the steps taken by Vas in meeting Railway authorities and trying to resolve issues faced by the people of Cansaulim and Velsao villages,” said the source. “Sawant is also likely to inspect the doubling tracking sites along the Cansaulim-Velsao stretch during his visit to Sancoale on Thursday,” said the source.
