Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, Cotigao Sarpanch Anandu Desai and others during a function to lay the foundation stone for a new road to Avali, a remote hamlet in Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary.
Photo Credits: Kathy Fernandes
CANACONA
Avali, a remote hamlet in Cotigao village which is surrounded by wildlife in the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, will finally have a motorable road within the next three months.
Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar along with a Cotigao Sarpanch Anandu Desai on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new road from Avali to the main village road, a distance of over 2 kms.
Others present at the function included Poinguinim Sarpanch Savita Tawadkar, Dy Sarpanch Sunil Paingankar, Loliem-Polem Dy Sarpanch Chandrakanth Sudhir, panch members from different panchayats and BJP Canacona Block President Vishal Desai.
“It is our unfortunate that despite being in the 63rd year of Liberation, the Bhumiputras of our State are still living without proper infrastructure, especially roads, which are an essential part of day-to-day existence,” said Tawadkar.
“I had attempted in the past and even got funds approved, but somehow the work was hampered and remained incomplete. I proposed the project once again and got the funds allotted from the tribal sub-plan.”
Stating that the road would be completed within 2-3 months, Tawadkar said the road would be of huge benefit to everyone in the hamlet.
Tawadkar also assured to construct a road at Nadkem, another mountainous residential hamlet within the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary, before May, and electricity lines at Keri by Republic Day.
Cotigao Sarpanch Anandu Dessai highlighted the difficulties confronting residents of Avali in the absence of a motorable road.
“People would be forced to carry sick persons on their backs and walk a hilly terrain of 2 kms and some patients even lost their lives during this difficult journey,” said Dessai.
“Following the efforts of our Speaker and Canacona MLA, the road was sanctioned from the central government funds.’
Poinguinim Sarpanch Savita Tawadkar also spoke on the occasion.
