Goa Against Coal (GAC) on Thursday welcomed the offer of Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping Nitin Gadkari to shift coal hub plans from Goa to Viaydurg and Karwar if Goans object. Addressing a press conference at Khariwado, GAC member Olencio Simoes said that Gadkari must have realised by now that people of Goa are against any further expansion of coal handling. Hence, Simoes said, the minister offered to shift the coal hub to Viaydurg and Karwar. He demanded that the central government must also stop the plan for nationalisation of rivers. Our most educated chief minister has recently made statement that Coal is needed for producing electricity. We don’t deny that, but when the coal is used in other States for producing electricity why government doesn’t want to handle the same in the ports near such plant, he questioned. Simoes said that The air quality Index in states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana has hit server levels due to vehicle emission, dust from construction, farm burning and firecrackers. However, if we compare Goa, then, vehicle emission is even more and Goa has topped the list of Indian states with the maximum traffic density of 551 vehicles per 1,000 people as compared to Delhi ranked third with 424 vehicles per 1,000 people. Today, we have vehicle emissions in Goa, then mining pollution in four talukas. Thus when we have all such pollution why we want to add up with coal, he said. He also requested to the State and Central governments to immediately withdraw this project. In interest of the State failing which, he warned, the State would witness massive uproar against coal hub and nationalisation of rivers. GAC Convenor Custodio D’Souza warned Gadkari not to dredge rivers in Goa in name of promoting tourism. Sanjay Redkar, another GAC member, said, Gadkari has tried to fool the people of Goa by making a statement on connectivity of Mopa with Dabolim. He should check that no inland rivers connect them. Don’t show us carrot; Goans are smart enough to understand you (Gadkari). As you said, just take coal to Vijaydurg and do it. Let us not make Goa polluted like Delhi. Sanjay Redkar said that Gadkari has tried to fool the people of Goa by making a statement on connectivity of MOPA with Dabolim. He should check that no inland rivers connect them. Don’t show us carrot; Goans are smart enough to understand you (Gadkari). As you said just take coal to Vijaydurg and do it. Let us not make out Goa polluted like Delhi.