Goa minister mobbed as protests against trio of infra projects continue
Protests against a trio of projects, a railway track doubling, a highway expansion and a new power transmission line, all between Goa and Karnataka cutting across the Western Ghats -- especially the railway expansion which is the biggest of the three -- have been intensifying as the railways seek to fast track the project.
Goa witnessed yet another agitation against the proposed railway double-tracking projects this time to coincide with the demarcation and resurvey of land scheduled to be taken up as part of the project.
The protests saw thousands of people gather at two villages in South Goa -- São José de Areal and Davorlim-- both of which lie along the existing track where work of doubling is currently going on.
However, sensing the crowd, railway officials failed to turn up instead it was left to the local people’s representatives including local MLA and minister in the government Filipe Neri Rodrigues to reassure the villagers that he will convey the wishes of the protesters to the Chief Minister in the next cabinet meeting.
“I have already informed the chief minister that the protests are only growing and will grow even further if the government does not act on this. The government is sensitive which is why the Chief Minister has met the Union Minister for Ports who has assured to come to Goa and listen to the people,” Rodrigues told the protesters.
At a separate location in Davorlim, another MLA, but of the opposition Congress was also mobbed by protesters
Protesters questioned the government asking that if the demand is for the projects to be scrapped, what purpose will the demarcation serve.
The protest was finally called off after the minister assured that the cases filed against a few protesters will be withdrawn, that he will convey the people’s opposition to the projects to the government and the land acquisition process for the railway line will be scrapped.
Protests against a trio of projects, a railway track doubling, a highway expansion and a new power transmission line, all between Goa and Karnataka cutting across the Western Ghats -- especially the railway expansion which is the biggest of the three -- have been intensifying as the railways seek to fast track the project.
The projects are being opposed on account of the impact on the eco sensitive and biodiverse wildlife sanctuaries that they will pass through, as well as because of the belief that they will be used to transport imported coal from Goa’s Mormugao Port to steel units in north Karnataka. Residents living in the port town of Vasco da Gama as well as along the railway line have for long been complaining that the transport is handled carelessly leading to high pollution levels and engulfing their lives with clouds of coal dust.
The protests intensified after the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife in a meeting held via video conference, during the lockdown in April this year, cleared the projects.
The Goa government has responded by saying that the projects are in ‘national interest’ while simultaneously denying that they were being carried out with the intent to increase the coal ferrying capacity.
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, while backing the projects, has said he has sought assurances from the Central Government that the quantity of coal imported via the port would be halved.
