Why the people oppose the oil terminal at Sancoale

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APPEAL

WHY THE PEOPLE OPPOSE THE OIL TERMINAL AT SANCOALE?

There has been an ongoing debate for shifting of the oil terminal
 situated in the Port City of Vasco da Gama to areas where there is
 neither any density of population or traffic congestion.  However,
 the Government could not offer such an area and hence the plans for
 shifting of  the oil terminal from Vasco da Gama was abandoned. 
 There was a proposal to shift the tanks to Chicalim but  the former
 MLA and Speaker of the Goa Assembly Mr. Simon D'Souza rejected the
 proposal outright terming it disastrous and polluting project.

In the year nineteen sixty eight, a company known as Birla Gwalior
 Private Limited applied for purchasing five hundred hectares of
 land belonging to the Comunidade of Sancoale for installation of a
 factory to manufacture fertilizer.  This land was 10 times in
 excess of their actual requirements and was acquired by misguiding
 the illiterate components (share holders).  It was leased to them
 at the rate of one paise per square meter.  The area leased being
 too much in excess was lying vacant or unused.

A few years ago there was a move to acquire the land for
 installation of non-polluting and non-hazardous industrial units.

Scared to death that the free land will be taken away by the
 government, the Birla Gawlior Private Limited which has changed its
 name several times and is now known as Zuari Industries Limited
 hatched a conspiracy with certain influential and corrupt
 politicians and put up a proposal to the Central Government
 offering to set up the oil terminal at Sancoale hilltop some 25 Kms
 from the Marmagoa Harbour from where the oil will be pumped
 directly  from the oil tankers to the oil terminal at Sancoale. 
 The ZOITL will  rent out the tanks to other oil companies such as
 Bharat Petroleum, Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum and
 other oil companies.  The ZOITL will earn a revenue of over Rs.one
 crore per year by by renting out the tanks to the various oil
 companies.  They are not setting up this oil terminal to help the
 people of Vasco da Gama but to earn huge profits at the expense of
 the poor local people.

Over 30 years ago this area was a dense forest.  Not a single soul
 lived there except one Hindu farmer Haribab and his family.  Today
 there are over THIRTY FIVE THOUSANDS migrants (ghatties)  from the
 neighbouring Karnataka state.  It is India's second biggest slum! 
 They have built illegal houses in the Comunidade land with the
 blessing of politicians.  Their names are are entered in the
 electoral rolls giving them a right to vote in Parliamentary,
 Assembly, Zilla and Panchayat elections.  Being in the electoral
 rolls they are now contesting the elections.  As a result,  the
 Panchayat has fallen in the hands of these illiterate and totally
 corrupt emigrants who are the employees of the Zuari Industries
 Ltd. who now control and dictate the lives of the Sancoale people. 
 No politician is willing to raise his voice against these illegal
 migrants for fear of losing their votes.  Before the last Assembly
 elections it was a vote bank of the former MLA Mauvin Godinho.  But
 in the last election the majority voted for the BJP candidate.  The
 Sancoale people are against the shifting of the oil tanks in their
 village.  But they are unable to stop the license as the Panchayat
 is controlled by the Zuari Industries Limited through their
 employees.


The location is the most dangerous as it is right on top of the
 hill.  It is an easy target for terrorists and an invitation for
 the enemy if a war breaks out.  Being on top of the hill the oil
 will flow down  the hill burning to ashes the entire villages of
 Sancoale, Velsao, Chicalim, Cortalim, Bogmallo and pollute the air
 of the entire North and South Goa.  The present plan is to
 construct 8 tanks of about 12,000 to 15,000 cubic meters each and
 keep on increasing according to demand from the oil companies.

The tanks fall right at the center of the funnel zone.  The
 aircrafts fly very low almost touching the tanks when landing at
 the Dabolim Air Terminal.  The recent crashing of the two naval
 aircraft was just a few meters away from the tanks.  Imagine what
 would have  happened to the people if the tanks were filled with
 oil and the aircraft crashed on the tanks!

The oil terminal being on the hilltop, the oil contaminated water
 will flow into the fields in lower Sancoale and destroy the
 livelihood  of hundreds of farmers.  It will pollute the ground
 water and wells.  No trees will survive and the entire green belt
 will vanish.

Today nobody is interested to stay in this beautiful village and the
 people are selling their properties and houses at throw away prices
 and yet there are no takers.

We do not oppose shifting of the tanks from Vasco da Gama, but we
 say that Sancoale or any other densely populated village or area is
 not the place to shift the tanks.

The poor people of Sancoale and sorrounding villages cannot fight
 the giant Zuari Indian Oil Tanking Limited.  No politician is
 willing to raise their voice against the ZIOTL.  Now it is you and
 me who have to fight them.  Shall we fold our hands and say "Mhaka
 Kiteak Poddlam"?  and wait for the disaster to happen.

The Save Sancoale Committee is doing what it can but lacks financial
 resources. We have to file two cases. One to bring a stay on the
 illegal construction of the tanks.  A prominent public interest
 litigation lawyer demands Rs.50,000/- to file a suit against the
 ZIOTL to get a stay on the illegal constructions of the oil
 terminal. We do not have this money.  Please help in whatever way
 you can.

Wake up dear Goan brothers and sisters.  Join your hands to ours to
 fight this evil project which one day will destroy half of Goa from
 Salcete to Bardez.


Please e-mail a copy of this appeal to your friends or send their
 e-mail addresses to us.

Thank you.

For further information please contact:

Simon Carvalho

Phone/fax:  2-550-295
e-mail:  simonc-0VrrOzQoB60xpvK4C0GaPQ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

SAVE SANCOALE COMMITTEE

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