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Vasco
Members of Goencho Ekvott (The People’s Movement) along with residents of seven villages in Nuvem constituency have submitted a memorandum to the Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa bringing to his notice the issues faced by the
locals particularly with respect to the ongoing railway works in Majorda, Utorda and the three linear projects passing through Mollem.
Goencho Ekvott’s women wing convener Ella Mascarenhas claimed that the residents along both side of the railway tracks are facing unbearable hardships on account of coal dust from overloaded wagons while Ashok Souza said that Goa was being used as a corridor to transport coal to the hinterland of Karnataka for private thermal and steel plants, when Karnataka which is 52 times larger in size than Goa has 8 seaports of its own from where industrialists could easily transport the hazardous cargo away from thickly-populated areas.
Dixon Vaz questioned the MLA whether he has received any survey plans from the railway authorities, and brought to his notice that the neighboring constituency MLA Alina Saldanha is whole-heartedly supporting people’s movement against double tracking.
Royla Fernandes from Benaulim apprised D’Sa about the deadly effect of the fugitive dust pollution on the environment and said that if trees in Mollem and surrounding areas are allowed to be felled to make way for the three mega projects, then it will cause a drop in the oxygen levels and will cause global warming which will eventually destroy the shoreline resulting in collapse of tourism industry which is the mainstay of Goa’s economy.
Founder of Goencho Ekvott Orville Dourado Rodrigues briefed the MLA about the destruction that would be caused to the residential houses all along the railway tracks. He informed the MLA that an entire hamlet at Moddo, Pale (all of whom are engaged in traditional occupations) will be razed to the ground to make way for the second tracks.
Local youth from Majorda and Utorda led by Silroy Carvalho, John Azavedo, Felix Carvalho among others questioned their MLA if he was for the double tracking or with the people of the Nuvem constituency. Panch of Majorda-Calata-Utorda Linet Vaz requested the MLA to visit the railway alignment and conduct a site inspection to familiarize with the hardships faced by his constituents.
The Nuvem MLA said that he was not much aware about the railway double tracking matter since no one had approached him. However since Goencho Ekvott was taking up the issue on an all-Goa basis, he is more than glad to attend any meetings etc conducted by them and the villagers.
