NT NETWORK
VASCO
The parish priest of St Andrew’s Church Fr Gabriel Coutinho said that the state government and the project proponents should talk about development works being planned by the Mormugao Port Trust as a part of its expansion plan considering the residents to be the focal point.
He called upon the government to give a free and fair justice to the people of Vasco at the proceedings conducted during the environmental public hearing at Tilak Maidan Vasco on Wednesday.
Fr Coutinho stressed the need of keeping the environment clean and green while giving his say on the expansion plan of the MPT, especially in relation to the enhancement of coal berths 5A and 6A of the South West Port Ltd (SWPL).
The environmental public hearing on deepening of the approach channel and inner basin for cape size vessels at Mormugao Port was held on Wednesday. The environmental public hearing was adjourned by the district collector South Swapnil Naik and has been fixed on April 4.
Giving an example of St Andrew’s Church based in the heart of the town which is a place of worship, Fr Coutinho said that the Church premises and the prayer hall face high coal dust pollution.
“The amount of dust that gets settled on the benches and ceiling fans inside the Church premises exposes the high amount of dust coal pollution and how serious it is to the lives of people”, said Fr Coutinho.
Giving another example, Fr Coutinho maintained that the people residing in and around the vicinity of the Mormugao Port keep their windows shut throughout the day in order to stay away from the coal dust pollution. “The project proponents can make a survey and find out as to why people residing in close vicinity keep their windows closed”, added Fr Coutinho.
“It is my humble request to the concerned authorities to give a fair judgment to the residents and see what is objectively correct”, said Fr Coutinho.
“I want to know for what purpose we are doing all these things. What is the point of reference? What is the use of development when people cannot live in a green and clean atmosphere”, pointed out Fr Coutinho.
“Today, we are not speaking about GDP, but we are speaking about GDHH which means Gross Domestic Human Happiness. “The Prime Minister of India speaks about GDH, but here it is observed that we are fighting to get GDHH which is an injustice”, added Fr Coutinho.
Fr Coutinho disclosed that the technical points which were raised by several speakers at the environmental public hearing were quiet convincing. He appealed to the government authorities not to fall prey to the project proponents.
“The state government is hand-in-glove with the project proponents and MPT in their expansion plan. The government can do nothing to save the lives of the people from the coal dust pollution”, added Fr Coutinho.
He disclosed that the SWPL had donated Rs 25 lakh towards the construction of St Andrew’s Higher Secondary School at Vaddem. “The SWPL had given a donation for poor students who come to study at St Andrews School and not for the Church”, said Fr Coutinho and called upon the project proponents that people would not bow to their donations. “I am there for my people and I am ready to give my life for their cause”, told Fr Coutinho.
A youth Suraj Naik alleged that the district collector South Swapnil Naik who is a presiding officer for the environmental public hearing is trying to surpass the project proponents and is also trying to suppress the voice of the youth.
John Fernandes while raising a point of order has said that the environmental public hearing is being conducted in an impartial manner. “The presiding officer has failed to maintain the rules by issuing limited time to some people at the environmental public hearing which he termed as unconstitutional and against the democratic right of the people”, added Fernandes. A resident of Khariwada Jacinto Miranda and Udhav Pol also spoke at the environmental public hearing.