VASCO
Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha on Friday said she had faith that good sense would prevail and that, the government would scrap the three controversial projects in the State.
Saldanha was speaking to reporters after a public awareness campaign programme organised by the Villagers Action Committee Against Double-Tracking (VACAD) at the Cansaulim market.
Saldanha said she had attended the awareness meeting because many youth groups were questioning her on her stand on the three proposed projects, the South Western Railway (SWR) double track from Vasco to Hospet, expansion of National Highway 4A and High Tension Power Transmission Line through wildlife Sanctuary of the Western Ghats.
“Being an elected representative, I felt it was my bounden duty to be with the people. I also have faith in the government that good sense will prevail and the right decision will be taken to scrap the three projects, because these projects are destructive and cannot be contained in a dot-sized Goa,” said Saldanha.
Saldanha said the government must consider the plight of people living in houses along the tracks and how their lives could be affected if there was a double track.
Saldanha said no offence should be registered against anyone who was fighting to save Goa’s environment and heritage as their moral duty.
“People are angered because everyone loves their land. I think the government has to realise that most tracks have been laid above ground level and most houses on either sides are at a lower level.”
“For the double-tracking project, they will have to raise the ground again and there will be a wall outside these houses. There is no need to have a double track if it is for connectivity because the present tracks are underused at the moment,” said Saldanha.
