DROWNING AT SELAULIM CANAL
SANGUEM
Residents of Cotarli-Sanguem have decided to withdraw their proposed road blockade agitation in the village following assurances from Social Welfare Minister and local MLA Subhash Phal Dessai that the railings or barriers by the side of the Selaulim canal would be installed before the monsoons.
The decision to agitate follows the tragic incident where a local resident, Prakash Gaonkar, lost his life after slipping into a water canal in the village.
The death of Prakash Gaonkar on Sunday night has reignited concerns among villagers regarding safety measures near the canal. This incident is not isolated; similar accidents have occurred in the past, prompting the community to demand the installation of barriers alongside the canal to prevent future tragedies.
Despite previous assurances from government officials, including the Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar, no concrete actions had been taken, leading to heightened frustration among the villagers.
In light of the repeated incidents and the proximity of a primary school located just 50 metres from the canal, the villagers decided to take a stand, by threatening a road blockade scheduled for today. Their aim was to draw attention to the urgent need for safety measures.
On Monday evening following Gaonkar's death, Minister Subhash Phal Dessai visited the bereaved family to offer his condolences. During this visit, he called on the local panchayat member Vithal Gaonkar and other community representatives and assured them that within the next eight days, he would arrange for WRD officials to conduct a site visit to assess the situation and prepare an estimate for the installation of the necessary barriers.
He committed to ensuring that these safety measures would be implemented before the onset of the monsoon season.
It was in the wake of assurance given by Phal Dessai, the villagers opted to withdraw their planned road blockade.
Four lives have been lost in the WRD Canal around Cotarli, Cacora, and Nagvem villages in the last two years.
A month ago, two toddlers, Rehan Shrittey (13 months) and Wahid Hashmi (16 months), drowned in the same canal while playing near their rented home in Carremoddi, Curchorem. Earlier in February 2023, a 13-year-old boy, Suresh Jadhav, drowned in the canal while bathing with a sibling.
In light of these repeated tragedies, villagers have been vocal in their demand for safety measures, such as the installation of railings or barriers along the canal.
