Panaji (Goa): Goa Against Coal (GAC) – an NGO strongly opposing the proposed expansion of coal handling facility at MPT and river dredging, on Wednesday slammed Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari for his statement that ‘microscopic minority in Goa is anti-development’ stating that Minister is indulge in making veiled threats and accusations fearing inquiry into the project.
“We had exposed Gadkari’s involvement in granting illegal permission to Adani and Jindal for increasing their coal handling capacity and had asked for CBI inquiry during the public hearing for dredging of Vaco Bay,” GAC convenor Custodio D’Souza told media persons.
“Sensing strong opposition to his destructive missing in Goa and fearing inquiry in the future into his involvement, Gadkari restored to threatening to ‘bulldoze” the projects, calling us ‘microscopic minority’,” he added.
Gadkari addressing the Annual General Meeting of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), last week said that “there is microscopic minority in Goa which is anti-development and proving to be an obstacle for various projects.”
GAC has accused Gadkari of trying to convert Goa into a coal hub, thereby destructing the tourism industry, in a bid to flourish the same in Maharashtra. “Nitin Gadkari’s recent statement on moving tourism to Sindhudurg in Mahrashtra, with Goa being saturated, exposes the larger plan of the Central government to make Goa a coal hub for the benefit of Maharashtra tourism,” he said.
“The Central government’s proposed coal expansion project, dredging of rivers, is nothing but an attempt to destruct our socio-economy, especially fisheries, tourism and health, to ensure profits for Adani and Jindals,” he alleged.
D’Souza said that the document available with them reveals that there are plans to increase coal handled in Goa from present 12 million tons to 51 million tons at MPT itself.
The GAC member Abhijit Prabhudesai informed that the diseases like lung cancer, respiratory are increasing in the Vasco town due to coal pollution.
“We demand that both Centre and State government should all plans for coal expansion and stop entire coal operations, failing which people will revolt and come on street to defend the environment, economy and society of Goa,” he said.
Team TNV
