Proposed jetties will facilitate coal movement, allege Assolda locals, to march to Panaji on Feb 23

Curchorem: Villagers of Bag-Xelvona in Assolda on Sunday resolved to launch a peaceful protest to the Environment Department office in Panaji on February 23 to oppose the proposed jetties at Bag-Xelvona and Hodar. They said that they feared that the jetties are being constructed to facilitate coal handling.

The decision was announced at a press conference held after the Assolda gram sabha, where various issues were discussed, including the proposed jetty projects.

Villagers cited a report published in ‘The Navhind Times’ on January 7 regarding the Environment Committee granting a green signal to the project.

Former panchayat member Manojkumar Naik said the issue has been discussed for over one-and-a-half years and villagers have consistently expressed strong opposition. “Sidelining our opposition efforts are being made to bring the project without providing us the details of the project,” he said.

Sarpanch Custodio Fernandes said all seven panchayat members are against the jetty project.

“Mining has stopped since 2012. Now we don’t know what cargo they want to handle by constructing jetty in our village. There are reports that about 60 goods trains carrying coal are coming to Goa and we strongly feel that jetty is being constructed for the coal handling,” he said.

A villager Felix Fernandes said the jetty project is an attack on the village.

Referring to the January 7 news report, he said it mentioned recommendation of green approval for construction of a 336 sqm platform for cargo handling but did not specify the cargo.

“It is our strong suspicion that the cargo is nothing but coal. Hence, it is high time now that we unitedly oppose this move of the government and launch a protest on February 23,” he said.