“Parrikar By no means Objected”: Goa Leader Minister On Mollem, However Information Say…

An issue has erupted in Goa over Leader Minister Pramod Sawant’s remark to TTN NEWS, wherein he stated a former Leader Minister of the state – the overdue Manohar Parrikar – had now not objected to a contentious infrastructure venture this is on the center of voters’ protests.

For over a month now Goans have taken to the streets to oppose a seize of initiatives that lower in the course of the Mollem Nationwide Park and the Bhagwan Mahavir Sanctuary, a biodiversity hotspot within the japanese a part of the state this is recognised by means of UNESCO.

The initiatives come with the double-tracking of a railway line from Goa’s Mormugao Port to northern Karnataka.

In an interview to TTN NEWS on Monday, Mr Sawant claimed Mr Parrikar, who additionally belonged to the BJP, had now not, in reality, objected to the venture.

“No he by no means did. He (Mr Parrikar) handiest commented on folks’s fear however he by no means rejected (it),” Mr Sawant claimed.

Then again, respectable information obviously identify Mr Parrikar rejected the proposal to double-track the railway line in query.

In a observe dated November 11, 2013, Goa’s Theory Leader Conservator of Forests, Richard D’Souza, rejected the proposal, declaring it will endanger natural world within the Bhagwan Mahavir Nationwide Park, wherein the expanded line would move.

Mr Parrikar, who used to be then Leader Minister, recorded his assent to the objection at the identical observe on November 22 (lower than two weeks later), announcing, “We won’t agree for the reason that Govt of Goa has thus far now not agreed to the proposal. We would possibly, due to this fact, now not agree for the proposal sooner than the Woodland Division.”

Driven at the backfoot by means of the protests, the state executive claims the expanded rail and highway networks will raise passengers and different shipment along with coal. In addition they say they are going to cap coal imports.