MARGAO
All eyes are focused on the government as the Water Resources Department is awaiting expenditure sanction for the ambitious phase-I of the River Sal desilting project proposed to control inundation of the flood plains during monsoons.
The project has further assumed significance as the PWD, National Highway is bracing up to take up work on the controversial 2.75 km stretch of the Western bypass, passing through the low-lying flood plains of Seraulim and Benaulim villages.
Inquiries by The Goan has revealed that the Water Resources Department had floated a tender some time back to take up desilting of the River Sal between the South Goa district hospital to the Varca bridge in phase-I. Sources in the know say the WRD has even shortlisted the contractor to take up the job, but the work order has not been issued till date for want of government’s expenditure sanction.
A senior WRD official told The Goan that the work order will be issued to the contractor only after the proposal gets an expenditure sanction from the government.
While the expenditure sanction ought to have come in normal circumstances, more so when the department had set in motion the process to desilt the river, the intervening Covid pandemic has cast doubts over the government giving the expenditure sanction. “The Phase-I project of River Sal desilting is expected to cost the exchequer around Rs 11 crore. The delay in according administrative sanction may be attributed to the Covid pandemic and issues over revenue,” remarked an official.
Sources in the WRD said work on the phase-I project should start at least in the next month to ensure that the entire 8-9 km stretch from the district hospital to the Varca bridge is completed before the onset of monsoons.
That’s not all. Sources say the government will have to grant the expenditure sanction to the project if the PWD, National Highways plan to start work on the contentious 2.75 km balance stretch of the western bypass from Seraulim to Benaulim.
In fact, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao, who has been rooting for the desilting of the River Sal as a solution to the flooding along the river course, had earlier this year warned that he would not allow the western bypass work to continue till the River Sal is taken up for desilting. “I am of the firm opinion that desilting of the River Sal is an answer to address the flooding problem along the river course. Hence, I have been insisting that the government should first take up the River Sal desilting before taking up work on the bypass,” he added.
WRD officials pointed out that the phase-II of River Sal desilting will be taken up along the stretch from Verna to the district hospital. “The government has a plan to rejuvenate River Sal along the entire course from Verna to Betul. But, the project will be taken up in phases in view of the huge funds required to execute the project,” the official said, adding that the government is also looking for central government funding for the project.
