Coal killing Goa: State rises to stop transportation and double-tracking

Margao: A large public meeting to oppose railway double tracking and coal transportation through Goa saw opposition party leaders standing in solidarity with the protesters at Lohia Maidan, here, on Sunday.Organised by Goyant Kollso Naka, an initiative of green activists, the public meeting included leader of the opposition Yuri Alemao, MLAs — Altone D’Costa, Carlos Ferreira, Fatorda MLA and GFP president Vijai Sardesai, State Congress president Amit Patkar, AAP MLAs Venzy Viegas, Cruz Silva and Goa AAP president Amit Palekar, as well as RG MLA Viresh Borkar and party president Manoj Parab.The protesters adopted a series of resolutions to stop coal handling at Mormugao port and its transportation through the state.Resolutions to scrap double-tracking, the Sagarmala master plan, and other expansion proposals of the port were passed. They also demanded that the port should only handle green cargo.A video of the late CM Manohar Parrikar stating his govt would not support double tracking when it was first proposed was played at the venue.“We are not permitting it... We have refused permission. Rail double lines will not be permitted in Goa.

We don’t need it. I’m not supposed to support what MPT wants...Southwestern railways are trying to bring double tracking here...Goa govt does not want that double tracking. We are very clear we will not give any permissions for double tracking. I’m so clear about it,” Parrikar had said.Youth activists present in large numbers expressed their resolve to oppose the rail doubling project.“We are not against development, but against destruction in the name of development.

Goa is not up for sale,” Chicalim Farmer’s Club member Alisha Pereira said. “Coal will suffocate people.”Another youth, V Gaunkar, said people cannot sit back and relax while Goa is burning. “If we don’t stop it now, it will be too late when destruction comes to our doorstep. People’s silence is what is killing Goa,” he said.Activist Abhijit Prabhudesai said Mhadei is being diverted to provide water for power and steel plants, and not to meet drinking and irrigation needs as projected.

When mining was at its peak in 2012, he said, “the state handled 40 million tonnes of iron ore leading to pollution. We cannot imagine what pollution the projected 137 million tonnes of coal handling from Goa will cause,” he said.Citing a study, Prabhudesai said particles of coal travel up to 10km away. “A scientist living in Dona Paula showed me coal dust settled on his balcony. Fly ash can travel 300km away. If coal is burnt in Karnataka, there’s no way Goa will be unaffected,” he said.He told the gathering that when 150 children met chief minister Pramod Sawant on Children’s Day, Nov 14, 2020, he promised them to reduce coal handling by 50%. “What is he doing now?” Prabhudesai said.Dr Jorson Fernandes said coal is a slow poison that’s being fed to Goa. “The Goa state pollution control board does not even have a facility to test coal dust pollution. It’s a matter of life,” he said.Various village groups from across Goa, including people from Mumbai under the banner National Alliance of People’s Movements, also pledged their support to the movement against coal.