MARGAO
Benaulikars continue to keep their fingers crossed in their long-drawn battle in support of the construction of a western bypass on stilts.
With trucks unloading tonnes of mud along the stretch passing through Tolleaband water body and the government only handing out promises to work out a solution to the satisfaction of all concerned, villagers and farmers seemed to have no idea what lies in store as the PWD National Highways is bracing up to expedite and complete the work on the 2.75 km stretch of the bypass.
PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral had in the recent past stated that the government is working out a solution to the construction of the bypass passing through the Tolleaband water body. On the other hand, trucks unloading mud and debris on the stretch passing through the water body have not stopped, only throwing up questions about how the government will go about the work.
Around October-end, the PWD paid a visit to the construction site along with senior officials to get firsthand information about the progress. At that time, Cabral was clear in saying that the PWD and the government are working out a solution on the points raised by the villagers, indicating that a solution is in the offing, bringing a sigh of relief to those waging a struggle in support of the bypass on stilts.
However, with the promised solution not forthcoming in the last two months, questions are being raised in local circles about whether or not the government would meet the villages' demands.
A villager pointed out that they are banking on the assurances of PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral to come out with a solution.
“We know that it’s now two months since the minister visited the site and the promised solution is still not unveiled,” the villager said, as he preferred to keep his fingers crossed on the project.
While the villagers of Benaulim, Seraulim and Mungul have been battling for a bypass on stilts, the government finally agreed to build 980 metres of the balance 2.75 km stretch on stilts passing through Seraulim and Mungul, after the NGT-constituted panel's recommendation.
Will CM, ministers ignore WRD report on construction of bypass at Tolleaband?
MARGAO:
Right from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral and Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar, they have all inspected the Benaulim stretch of the bypass.
They, however, have a question or two to answer – will they pay heed or ignore the report compiled by the WRD, recommending the construction of the bypass passing through Tolleaband, Benaulim after the unprecedented flooding around the area in the last monsoons?
Leave alone the sustained agitation by the Benaulim villagers for the bypass on stilts, the WRD headed by Subhash Shirodkar had come out with a recommendation to the government to also build the Benaulim stretch of the bypass on stilts after the unprecedented flooding in and around Tolleaband water body last monsoons.
The WRD officials had raised a pertinent question in its report, raising apprehensions over the flooding situation in Benaulim considering the Tolleaband and the adjoining areas were all inundated even before the construction of the bypass on earthen embankments.
Gram sabha demands action over letter sent biodiversity board
MARGAO:
The western bypass figured at the gram sabha of Benaulim on Sunday even as members demanded that the panchayat lodged a police complaint against those responsible for using a panchayat letterhead to send a letter to the Goa State Biodiversity Board stating there’s no bio-diversity at Tolleaband.
The gram sabha also took stock of the bypass situation and discussed exploring the possibility of calling on Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari with the help of the local MLA.
The issue of the letter sent to the Goa State Biodiversity Board on the panchayat letterhead without any date and signature stating there is no biodiversity at Tolleaband was raised at the meeting by Royla Fernandes.
She pointed out that information obtained by her under RTI from the Biodiversity Board stated that a letter on the panchayat letterhead was written to the board stating there’s no biodiversity at Tolleaband. She demanded that the panchayat lodge a police complaint that an unauthorized letter from the panchayat had gone to the Biodiversity Board without a date and signature.
She further stated that such a situation would not have arisen if the panchayat had prepared the People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) for the village.
Taking cognizance of the demands and sentiments of the gram sabha members, sarpanch Xavier Pereira said he would place the matter at the panchayat monthly meeting and take a call on the question of lodging an FIR with the police.
