MARGAO
Despite strong opposition from the residents of Benaulim to the construction of the western bypass sans stilts, the PWD, National Highway is going ahead with the land filling of the Tolleaband water body.
In fact, trucks load of mud has been dumped in the Tolleaband water body by the PWD to raise the embankment and to take the machinery. The bypass cuts through the Tolleaband low-lying fields, before the road joins the Varca-Benaulim road near the Zudio shopping mall.
Residents of Benaulim had last week raised their strong objection to the land filling of the water bodies, including the traditional ponds along the alignment passing through Tolleaband. In fact, the land filling activity had evoked strong reaction and uproar from the local residents, including newly-elected Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, who had got the Benaulim Panchayat to adopt a resolution to move the Judiciary to get the bypass on stilts.
Even as the panchayat and the MLA are working out a strategy how to go about the matter in the courts, the PWD, National Highway has gone ahead with the land filling activity with police protection on the plea the work is being executed upon directions of the High Court.
Incidentally, while the National Green Tribunal-appointed 10-member panel has recommended construction of the balance 2.75 km bypass on stilts up to a stretch admeasuring 980 metres between Seraulim-Mungul, the PWD is going ahead with the land filling activity along the Benaulim stretch on the plea the panel has not recommended the bypass on stilts in the village.
While work on the 11 km bypass is almost complete, from Verna to Nuvem and up to the wholesale fish market, work on the balance 2.75 km between Benaulim and Seraulim was kept on hold after local residents and environmentalists demanded construction of the bypass on stilts to avert ecological and environmental disaster in the future.
