PONDA
Ignoring Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardessai’s directives to stop public access to the Codar river through the department property, the gate leading to Codar was wide open and many Goans were seen bathing in the river, which has claimed many lives in the recent past.
Days after Sardesai’s directives, the side gate at the agriculture land in Codar was wide open on Saturday and picnickers had easy access to the Codar river, with many were found bathing in the river.
Sardesai had taken note of public concerns on safety on May 2, and had directed the agriculture director to restrain people from getting access in government land to reach the picnic spot at Codar river. But no efforts has been taken by officials to act on the minister’s order.
Sardessai had sent a note to the director of agriculture stating that drowning incidents in the Codar river in Bethora-Nirankal could have been avoided if access to the river had been restricted through agriculture department land.
“The Codar river has claimed more than 20 lives in the past ten years. In a recent incident, two youth from Vasco drowned in the river. If entries were restricted from the agriculture department land, then these lives could have been saved. So, steps may be immediately taken to restrict public entry from department land,” the minister had said in his note.
Local panch, Prasad Prabhugaonkar, who visited this place on Saturday, was disappointed to find the department gates still open and people bathing in the Codar river.
“This proves that officials have not given any importance to the minister’s directives. It appears that agriculture department officials are least bothered about drowning cases and the need to prevent public from accessing the Codar river from department property,” complained Prabhugaonkar.
“If the government is incapable of protecting its own land, it should be handed over to a private party,” he said.
