NT Reporter | Panaji
A day after thousands of Goans gathered in Margao to demand that the state government stop handling of coal at the Mormugao Port and also halt its transportation and related projects in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said coal handling capacity in the state has not been increased at all.
He said there has been no notification from the state government or the Centre for increasing the coal handling capacity in Goa.
“Coal handling capacity in the state remains the same and not even one tonne will be increased. I don’t know from where people get dreams that it will increase. There’s no such notification from the Goa government or the Centre,” Sawant said.
Questioning the motive behind the public rally that was held at the Lohia Maidan in Margao on Sunday, Sawant said he was not sure whether the meeting was actually regarding coal. He questioned the timing and intent behind the agitation, suggesting that it may be politically motivated ahead of elections in the state.
The Margao meet adopted resolutions demanding a complete halt to the coal handling activities in Goa, conversion of the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) into a green port and de-listing of six Goan rivers from the National Waterways Act and
Port limits.
Speakers at the rally also announced that the movement against coal handling in the state will continue until all coal activities are stopped completely.
