Ponda: The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), constituted by the Supreme Court, has begun the task of site inspections of the three linear projects at Mollem, which are passing through Goa-Karnataka forest area. The CEC is collecting ground-level information regarding the impact of three projects on the forest and the wildlife.
On Friday, the CEC inspected the railway double tracking project site from Tinaighat to Kulem area using a special train and, as per information, the Railway Vikas Nigam Ltd has ‘proposed’ a second rail track by digging a huge tunnel through Dudhsagar hills to avoid tree felling.
The CEC, headed by P V Jayakrishnan, Amarnath Shetty, Member Secretary Mahendra Vyas and A D N Rao, amicus curiae, was accompanied by Chief Conservator of Forests Santosh Kumar, officials of Railway Vikas Nigam Ltd, PWD and other officials linked with the three linear projects. Along with them, Goa Foundation secretary Claude Alvares, who is the complainant in the matter, was also present for the site inspection.
As per information, for the railway double tracking site inspection on Friday, the CEC team with around 100 people comprising forest, railway officials and others arrived in Tinaighat area in the morning and reached Kulem area in the afternoon. During this trip, the CEC along with the officials made a total three stops for carrying out actual ground study and one of the stops was at the Dudhsagar falls.
Reacting to the inspection by the CEC, the Goa Foundation secretary Claude Alvares stated that it is good that inspections are being carried out finally which was needed before giving nod to these projects.
“We do not know how useful this inspection will be to save Mollem, but there is a lot of information to process for the CEC that they are gathering from the sites,” Alvares said.
During the inspection, the PWD officials and Railway Nigam officials explained the project layouts and proposals in detail to the CEC, wherein few changes were suggested to save trees and the wildlife. “But we are of strong view that these three projects are not permissible in Mollem and we have made it clear to the CEC,” stated Alvares, while speaking to this daily.
When asked about the second railway line being proposed through the tunnel, Alvares said that with widespread criticism and people expressing fear of Dudhsagar losing its beauty, the Railway Nigam might have thought over it.
Though some trees will be saved by such a plan, impact on the environment will be there due to the tunnel through the hill, he said.
On Thursday, the team travelled the entire existing highway stretch from Mollem to Karnataka border to study the impact of National Highway expansion project during which the team also went into the thick forests to see heritage trees.
As per information, PWD officials have made plans to cut eight sharp turns of the road, while around 24 hazardous zones have been identified, which will be avoided through spate elevated road and have explained the need of it to the CEC during the inspection.
On Saturday, the team will conduct site inspection in connection with the proposed Tamnar transmission line project during which heritage site of Tambdi Surla will be inspected, through which the proposed transmission line passes. Then the CEC team will go to Mormugao Port Trust and it will be followed by a discussion with officials of the Goa government and project proponents.
