MAPUSA
The rubble of the demolished 22 illegal houses in Sangolda serves as a stark reminder of the 150 displaced residents who once called this place home.
The communal cooking fires that flickered in the initial days post-demolition have long since extinguished, and the open site now lies eerily silent.
Yet, for those who lost their homes, hope lingers amidst the ruins.
“We have not left this place. We have only relocated ourselves temporarily and hope the government will help us find a place to build a new home,” said one of the several affected individuals, as they rushed out from a neighbour’s house, eager to share their plight with this journalist.
The demolition, executed to clear illegal structures on comunidade land, left families, including women and children, without shelter or basic amenities. Some of the displaced have found temporary refuge with neighbours or relatives, while others have moved to nearby areas like Mapusa and Porvorim.
"Most of the people who lost their homes are staying at neighbours’ places. We have to pay rent plus electricity and water bills," explained Rafiq Talwar, one of the affected residents.
For Mohammad Gosh, the situation is particularly dire.
"I live with my wife and a son who is the sole breadwinner, earning a salary of Rs 15,000. We have to pay Rs 10,000 in rent. How will we be able to manage?" he lamented.
Caught off guard by the sudden demolition on April 12, the displaced residents initially slept under the open skies amidst the debris of their former homes.
In the early days following the demolition, they received food and aid from sympathetic NGOs and local MLAs, including Kedar Naik and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo. However, this support has since dwindled.
"We received breakfast and lunch from our MLA Kedar Naik and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo for almost a fortnight. Now everything has stopped," Talwar recounted.
The displaced residents claim they were courted by the ruling politicians seeking votes in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
"When we met Union Minister Shripad Naik, he assured us he would meet us after the election and even promised to arrange a meeting with the Chief Minister. The problem is, we did not record the conversation," Talwar revealed.
Kedar Naik also urged the residents to vote for Shripad Naik, promising an appropriate resolution post-election.
However, since the elections, neither Kedar nor Shripad has returned.
"We are only waiting in hope that the election results will bring in good cheer and relief to us," Talwar recounted, his voice a mixture of resignation and lingering hope.
As the rubble remains a silent testament to the upheaval in Sangolda, the displaced residents cling to the promises made and the hope that, somehow, their plight will be addressed, and they will once again have a place to call home.
