Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: Thousands of Goans gathered at the historic Lohia Maidan on Sunday evening, pledging not to rest until the government stops coal handling at Mormugao Port and ceases coal transportation across the state.
Participants raised their hands in unity as a series of resolutions were adopted at the large public awareness meeting, vowing to continue protests, raise public awareness, and pursue the cause through all possible channels until their demands are met.
Key demands included scrapping the double-tracking project on the South Western Railway and returning acquired land to Goans, halting all port expansion at Mormugao, and using the port exclusively for green cargo. Attendees also called for the cancellation of the controversial Sagarmala Master Plan, retaining local community control over the state’s rivers, coasts, and lands, and removing Goa’s rivers and coasts from the National Waterways Act, 2016, and port limits.
Additional resolutions demanded the scrapping of the proposed High-Level Borim Bridge, stopping all highway expansion projects for coal transport on NH-17N and NH-4A, and shutting down all steel plants and associated Bandharas and dam proposals in the state.
During a presentation, environmental activist and Goyant Kollso Naka co-convenor Abhijit Prabhudesai warned that the Coal Master Plan aims to increase coal handling to 137 million tonnes annually. He accused the Goa government of yielding to pressure from the Centre to permit coal-related infrastructure in the state.
“The Sagarmala project plans to triple coal handling and transportation in Goa, including handling coal at MPT from the Kharewaddo and Baina beach belt and transporting the rest via rivers and roads,” Prabhudesai said. He noted that dredging activities at MPT began in 2016 but were halted after interventions by the National Green Tribunal following protests by fishermen.
Prabhudesai also criticized government policies on highways, rivers, and coal transportation, saying national highways are being modified to accommodate 100-ton coal trucks, while control of Goa’s rivers has been ceded to the Centre to facilitate coal transport.
Taking a dig at Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, he highlighted that promises made to reduce coal handling at MPT were being violated, with allowances for coal handling being increased from seven million to fourteen million tonnes. He also linked the diversion of the Mhadei river to Karnataka’s plans for a 300-km steel corridor along the Hubli belt.
“While the people of Goa have repeatedly resisted the government’s attempts to turn the state into a coal hub, recent developments suggest the government is moving ahead with these plans at full speed. Immediate action is necessary; any delay will reduce the effectiveness of future protests,” Prabhudesai warned.
