A mass gathering of activists of all genres had a meeting at the Grace Church Hall in Margao in order to launch a mass agitation against major developments presently under way in Goa. The gathering specifically criticised the Central and the State Government for the manner in which they plan to push the nationalisation of rivers, highways, railway lines and coal transportation through all means in Goa. Congress spokesperson Avinash Tavares, spokesperson of AAP Olencio Simoes, activists Abhijit Prabhudessai, Judith Almeida, Edwin Pinto and several others were present. The gathering, in the beginning of discussion, resolved to oppose coal transportation and a hub in Goa and has unanimously opposed river nationalisation. The meeting saw a large number of AAP representatives. The gathering called on the fellow activists to take the messages to all their near and dear ones and have expressed belief that it can create a revolution if they stay together. Awareness to take people to the streets against the projects has to be done as no government can force anything in Goa and onto Goans, said Abhijit of Rainbow Warriors. The discussion later shifted to discuss steps to move ahead and find methods and activities to stop highway, railway for coal. We don’t have enough force to do all the work and need to unite. Co-ordination committees will be formed and all 189 panchayats will be urged to take the resolution to oppose coal and nationalisation. The ones who do not will be forced to take the resolution with villagers demand, Prabhudessai said. The discussion also unanimously resolved to launch a mass signature campaign in Goa against the issues threatening the State. Charles D’Silva from Naqueri, Betul urged the people to go to all the MLAs and tell them to take a stand on the issues people are opposed to and then follow up with the MLAs and pressurise them if they do not speak up. Congress spokesperson Tavares said that the new Act of Waterways has been tweaked to capture the rivers for capital benefits and also land shores besides them. We need to oppose the act and it’s a long battle, he said. Over 150 activists and people attended the meeting wherein the responsibilities of each of them as far as coordination and ground level work is concerned were fixed.