MARGAO
Amidst protests by the local populace, especially fishermen inhabiting the banks of River Sal, the Captain of Ports has decided to go ahead with the river dredging, with the contractor bracing up to start the work from Saturday.
The Chinchinhim panchayat, however, has red-flagged the river Sal dredging, with the sarpanch calling for a stop to all such activities, saying it will only create a law and order issue and unrest in the village as the works are completely objected by the villagers.
That the Captain of Ports is going ahead with the river Sal desilting work became clear after the contractor Vaibhavi Dredging wrote a letter to the Chinchinim panchayat on Friday informing about the decision to start the work from Saturday.
In his letter, Uday Naik, partner stated that the department of Captain of Ports has issued a work order to Vaibhavi Dredging on November 24 to take up desilting of the river from the Telaulim-Varca bridge towards downstream up to Shatmallay opposite the salt pan, for a distance of six-km.
The contractor pointed out that he has mobilised the machineries at the desilting site at River Sal and have decided to take up the work from December, 19 as the contractor sought the panchayat’s cooperation with the desilting work.
Chinchinim Sarpanch Inacina Rebello, however, told the contractor to stop the desilting work in the jurisdiction of the panchayat as it will create a law and order issue and unrest in the village.
In a letter addressed to the Vaibhavi Dredging, the Sarpanch drew attention of the contractor to the strong objection for the desilting work, further saying that the villagers have lodged their strong objection for the work. The work is also objected by the village bio-diversity committee, she added.
The panchayat further pointed out that the panchayat has already written to the Captain of Ports objecting to the work.
Not only the villagers of Chinchinim have objected to the desilting, but the project has come under stiff opposition from the traditional fishermen inhabiting banks of the river, fearing the work will destroy the rich marine habitat in the river, considered the lifeline of Salcete.
Objections were also raised to the desilting work in many other quarters, with accusing fingers pointed at the government for taking up the work without taking the stakeholders into confidence.
