ONLY GOAL SAY NO TO COAL: CONGRESS WAR CRY AT LOHIA MAIDAN MEET
MARGAO: A protest meeting organised by the Congress Party at Lohia Maidan, Margao on Saturday against the three projects passing through the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park resolved to demand cumulative impact assessment and public hearing for all the three projects.
The meet held over the themes ‘Save Mollem From Destruction’ and ‘Only Goal Say No To Coal’ also resolved to ensure that Goa is not turned into a coal hub. The meeting also demanded immediate dropping of the FIRs against Chandor agitators.
The meeting resolves to Continue to be the voice of the people to protect the odentity of Goa and environment. It unanimously resolves to continue its participation in all the protests, agitations to preserve the environment, forest and wildlife of the State.
The meeting decided to strongly oppose the plans to set up a coal hub in Goa to stack up coal for meeting the requirement of Coal-based industries in other States; opposed laying of railway double tracks from Vasco-da-Gama to Hospet, meant only to transport coal from Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) to various Industries situated in the neighbouring Karnataka, Maharashtra and other States causing serious health hazards to the people of Goa.
It also opposed expansion of National Highways meant to establish expressway solely for coal transportation creating health hazards and also destroying the identity of Goa.
The meeting resolved to request the Congress Parliamentary Party to move an amendment in Parliament to exclude MPT from the Major Ports Authority Bill 2020 which gives absolute power to the Ports to enact laws bypassing the State laws and local bodies.
Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and MLA Luizinho Faleiro informed that he has already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other several other Union Ministers to withdraw the double tracking of the railways project.