SANGUEM
A high-level meeting on Saturday to resolve the ongoing agitation by residents against the proposed bandhara at Mirabag-Sanvordem failed to arrive at any immediate and concrete solution.
According to Sanket Bhandari, the meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, was attended by Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar, Speaker and local MLA Ganesh Gaonkar and local representatives.
“The government’s proposal to drop the bandhara component while proceeding with a Jackwell pumping project was firmly rejected by the protesters, who reiterated that their primary demand is the complete scrapping of the bandhara,” said Bhandari.
“They have insisted that any alternative proposal will only be considered after receiving a written assurance from the government confirming its cancellation.”
At the heart of the issue is a deep mistrust between the villagers and authorities. Protesters alleged that they had previously been misled by verbal assurances on at least three occasions, where work was temporarily halted but later resumed under different pretexts.
As a result, the agitators are demanding a formal written confirmation cancelling the Rs 400 crore project before calling off their protest.
They further argued that the bandhara and Jackwell components are technically and financially two different concepts, making it necessary to scrap the entire process and initiate a fresh, transparent site selection procedure with community participation.
The prolonged agitation has taken a toll on the social fabric of Mirabag village.
Residents, including Sanket Bhandari, said major festivals such as Diwali and Shigmo could not be celebrated due to the ongoing protest. The community also reported the death of an elderly resident, allegedly caused by stress after the project site was shifted close to his residence.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s response, the protesters have warned of intensifying their agitation by moving to Azad Maidan in Panaji, in an effort to garner wider public support across Goa.
“The government is only giving assurances but not coming out with a concrete solution to the demand of villagers to scrap the project,” said activist Pradip Kakodkar.
Locals have criticised the government’s claims of “Antyodaya,” alleging that while it speaks of serving the common man, it has ignored a community that has been protesting on the streets for over six weeks.
The protesters maintained that their stance remains unchanged, asserting that no project will be accepted without their consent and no verbal assurances will substitute for official written documentation. Former PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar also shared his views on the occasion.
