the goan I network
MARGAO
With the MHA issuing guidelines to make way for the return of migrants, students and others stranded to their native places after May 3, hundreds, if not thousands from Salcete, are registering their names for leaving the State.
Despite being a holiday on May Day, Salcete village panchayats and the panchayat secretaries were on the job of compiling names of migrants willing to head home. Though the communique from the panchayat authorities to compile the names of those desiring to leave the State came late Thursday night, many local bodies have already set the process in motion to get the names of migrants registered for their journey home.
Betalbatim Sarpanch Constancio Miranda told The Goan that as many as 166 migrants staying in the village have registered their names to go home. “We are still compiling the names of migrants who are staying in the village and have not yet registered their names,” Miranda said, adding that ward panchayat members were asked to inform the owners employing the migrants on their registration to return to their homes.
Miranda’s Colva counterpart Anthony Fernandes echoed similar views. He said that the panchayat secretary Amol Tilve was in the process of compiling the list of migrants stranded in Colva village to facilitate their return home.
“I have been told by the panchayat secretary that many migrants inhabiting the tourist village have come forward to register their names for their return home. The process is underway,” Anthony said.
Tilve said the Colva panchayat had mailed its first list of 50 migrants to the Salcete BDO office on Friday noon. He, however, hastened to add that the number of migrants who have registered with the panchayat by late Friday evening has nearly reached the figure of 200. “The second list will be mailed to the BDO office by Saturday,” he added.
Cavelossim Sarpanch Denis Dias told The Goan that around 300-plus migrants who were stranded in the tourist village have registered with the panchayat body on Friday. “These migrants include those working in beach shacks, restaurants and other establishments in the village. Even some of the Kashmiris have registered with the panchayat to head home,” he added.
Chinchinim Deputy Sarpanch Valentino Barretto pointed out that the Panchayat could register only a few migrants on Friday given that the BDO’s communique came late Thursday night. He, however, said that the panchayat will register the names of those migrants willing to return to their native states.
Velim Sarpanch Savio D’Silva pointed out that the panchayat is in the process of compiling the list of migrants desiring to go home.
