Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: Goencho Ekvott (GE) has lashed out at Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, accusing him of “blatantly lying” in the Assembly by stating that his government would never allow an increase in coal handling at Mormugao Port Authority (MPA), but now openly supporting it to facilitate land acquisition from the Forest Department for the Hospet–Londa–Tinaighat–Vasco-da-Gama railway doubling.
GE pointed out that this support comes despite the Supreme Court having set aside the clearance granted by the National Board of Wildlife for double tracking in Kulem. The group demanded that the government “must save and withdraw all coal expansion plans” in the UNESCO-listed Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park.
Olencio Simoes, joint secretary of GE, alleged that both the central and state governments had a “sinister plan” to destroy Goa’s environment. “Since 2015, this government has systematically approved all coal infrastructure projects to facilitate coal transportation via sea, river, road and railways at the cost of Goan lives and livelihood,” he said.
Listing a series of approvals, Simoes added, “Firstly, they nationalised the six rivers of Goa. Then came four expansion plans in MPA, including deepening of the approach channel, redevelopment of berths, finger jetties at Vasco Bay and a multipurpose terminal at Betul. They diluted the CRZ notification to 2019, cutting it from 500 to 50 metres and deleting Goa-specific protections. Later, they proposed the four-laning of NH4A through Anmod–Mollem, and finally privatised MPT through the Major Ports Authorities Bill, 2022 — all to import and transport 141 MMTPA of coal for their crony capitalists Adani and Jindal.”
Founder member of GE, engineer Orville Dourado Rodrigues, accused South Western Railways and its contractors of “rampantly violating the law” even after the Supreme Court verdict. “The Supreme Court has questioned the viability of the project and directed that the double tracking be scrapped in Goa and shifted elsewhere. Yet RVNL has criminally trespassed into private landholdings and is illegally constructing works with the blessing of the state machinery,” Rodrigues said.
He further alleged that such actions were denying local residents their fundamental rights. “People are being deprived of free access to their residences, of clean air and water — all because the government is working hand in glove with coal lobbies,” Rodrigues remarked.
