Panaji (Goa): Goa Against Coal (GAC) members today met Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar demanding complete stoppage of coal handling activities including transportation at Mormugao Port Trust, failing which has threatened to intensify their agitation across State.

Talking to reporters after meeting, GAC President Custodio D’Souza said that Chief Minister has admitted before them that Vasco town is polluted due to coal handling and transportation activities.

He said that CM has suggested them to rename their NGO as Goa Against Pollution.  

 “This itself proves that CM has admitted that there is pollution in Vasco and it is due to coal,” D’Souza said.

“We don’t want coal not only in Vasco but in entire Goa. We welcome the move of Union Minister to shift the facility to Maharashtra. If the government failed to do so, we will aggressively come out against the proposed Coal Hub,” he threatened.

GAC members have welcomed Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari’s offer to shift coal hub plan from Goa to Maharashtra.