MARGAO
Expressing shock that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has feigned ignorance over the government’s plan for coal transportation through Goa, the Goyant Kollso Naka has demanded that the Chief Minister immediately stop forthwith all ongoing coal infrastructure projects, including double-tracking of South Western Railway.
Accusing the Chief Minister for trying to buy time to continue with the coal plans, the GKN reiterated the non-negotiable demands laid down by the people of Goa, which must be accepted by the Chief Minister.
Addressing the media, GKN convenor Antonio D’Silva said the Chief Minister continues to feign ignorance regarding the government’s plans for coal transportation though he is fully aware of actively participating in the plans to make Goa a coal hub. “We had written to the Chief Minister three letters since July giving all the details and facts of coal plans made by the government. Hence, the Chief Minister cannot claim innocence.”
He demanded to know how can the Chief Minister claim ignorance when the Environment Minister is on record on September 5 stating that he knows the coal plans. “The Chief Minister has also chaired the Wildlife Board meeting that cleared the three linear projects through the Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. The Chief Minister also knows that former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had rejected the double-tracking of the SWR stating that it is only for a few industrialists to transport coal,” he added.
GKN’s non-negotiable demands include the demand to stop coal transportation through MPT, with a demand that MPT must immediately prepare a time-bound plan to stop ongoing coal transportation through MPT and to use MPT instead for cruise tourism, green cargoes and other commodities.
Co-convenor Abhijit Prabhudesai demanded that the government remove the six rivers of Goa from the Schedule to the National Waterways Act, 2016. He said the inclusion of Goa’s rivers in the Schedule earmarks them for shipping, thus allowing the coal plans to continue unhindered. “The inclusion of our rivers in this Schedule is unconstitutional, illegal and anti-people, since our rivers have belonged to our village communities since thousands of years,” he added.
Warning that the people’s movement will not rest until all the non-negotiable demands are met, Abhijit further demanded an immediate stop to all the ongoing works and waste of public funds, specially the double-tracking being constructed in gross violation of the orders of the Railways Board dated 28/7/2020.
GKN further demanded that all the clearances granted by the State government for the MPT expansion projects and the three linear projects through the Western Ghats must be cancelled immediately. The Chief Minister has also been called upon to immediately write to the Union Ministries to remove all the rivers and coasts of Goa from the ambit of the National Waterways Act, 2016 and the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020.
The GKN further told the media that the transmission lines project have still not got the clearance from the Karnataka side, wondering how come the Goa government is going all out to accord the clearances for the project.
When the media drew his attention to the support extended to the movement by the Opposition in the Assembly, Abhijit lamented that none of the political parties have so far adopted resolutions objecting to the double-tracking project and coal transportation.
