DOUBLE TRACKING! LOCALS AND LEADERS ACCUSE RAIL VIKAS NIGAM LTD OF HILL CUTTING AND RIVULET BLOCKAGE

Goencho Ekvott and Goenche Ramponkarancho Ekvott condemn the construction works carried out by South Western Railway through their contractor Rail Vikas Nigam Limited at Mollo, Pale Village.

Massive hill cutting was reported by the villagers, all of whom are from the traditional fishing and toddy tapping communities. With their houses just below the hillock and age old stone embankments which used to offer their residences some sort of protection have been totally destroyed and now this area will be heavily prone to mudslides during the monsoon which will hit coastal Goa in probably a week’s time.

Orville Dourado Rodrigues,Goencho Ekvott Founder Member lamented that the South Western Railway in their quest to construct the coal corridor through Goa have inflicted untold miseries on the inhabitants of the coastal belt, particularly in Mormugao and Salcete talukas. The free passage of the perennial fresh water spring water at Dervotae which used to feed the rivulet below the hillock has been blocked off near the twin culvert to facilitate the transportation of raw material and heavy earth moving machinery leading to the water become turbid. This particular place had a forest cover which was mercilessly hacked down to facilitate the hill cutting. He appealed to the authorities especially the GCZMA, WRD and Forest Dept. to urgently inspect the area and initiate necessary action to save the dwellings of the local residents from collapse in the impending monsoon.

Olencio Simoes, Gen. Secretary of Goenche Ramponkarancho Ekvott highlighted the illegalities conducted by the South Western Railway Contractor M/s. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited like destroying the age old rivulet by filling it with mud and the hill cutting that will render the hamlet at Mollo, Pale village to mud landslides. He appealed to the local authorities especially the Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and the local Collector to urgently come to the aid of the local community and ensure the safety of the residents.