MARGAO
When will the ten-member Joint Committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) visit the flood plains of river Sal to know the ground reality, even as incessant rains over the last two days have submerged large tracts of the flood plains along the balance 2.75 km stretch of the Western bypass between Benaulim and Seraulim?
While directing the constitution of a ten-member joint panel, comprising of State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Goa, Goa State Biodiversity Board, Goa State Wetland Authority, PWD, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), District Magistrate, South Goa, Water Resources Department, Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), a nominee of National Wetland Authority and a nominee of PCCF (HoFF), Goa, the NGT had on June 22 given a brief to the committee to visit the site as early as possible.
NGT’s brief before the 10-member panel is clear “ hold a meeting within two weeks after taking stock of the situation, prepare a plan of action and execute the same. The GSPCB and the SEIAA, Goa are the nodal agency for coordination and compliance.
When The Goan called up GSPCB Member Secretary Dr Shamila Monteiro, being the nodal agency, to shed light on the implementation of the NGT order, she only replied back saying a meeting of the panel will take place shortly. And, she said the SEIAA or the Director of Environment can be contacted for further details on the committee’s future course of action.
As incessant rains disrupted life across the State, a visit to Mungul on the Margao-Colva road brought to the fore once again what has been feared all along “ the river Sal was flowing in full spate and the flood plains completely submerged with rain water.
“If the 10-member panel constituted by the NGT is serious in doing its job as the Tribunal’s directions, this is the right time when the flood plains of the river are inundated. We had in the past invited the Chief Minister and PWD Minister, besides officials of the National Highway to inspect the 2.75 km bypass to get a real insight into the flooding issues and take corrective measures by building the bypass on stilts,” remarked a Seraulim villager.
Acting as the water catchment areas for the rain water flowing from as far as Majorda, Betalbatim, Nuvem and Margao, the 2.75 km Western bypass alignment is proposed right through the flood plains of river Sal, at one or two places, running almost close to the river.
Earlier this month, petitioner before the NGT, Royla Fernandes had called on the GSPCB Member Secretary Dr Shamila Monteiro given that the PCB along with SEIAA, Goa is the nodal agency appointed by the NGT to study all aspects of flooding. “The GSPCB Member Secretary was very cooperative when we called on her on July 6. We hope the panel visits and inspects the flood plains these days when the State is witnessing a wet spell,” she said, while saying she has asked the panel to allow her to make a personal presentation before the committee on why people are insisting on the construction of the bypass on stilts.
Royla has made a fervent plea to the villagers of Colva, Mungul, Seraulim, besides Benaulim to prepare short videos and share their experiences of the floods they had witnessed over the years before they are all presented before the NGT-appointed panel.
