MARGAO
Loutolim witnessed an uproar over the construction of the missing link of the National Highway when agitated villagers protested over the dumping of mud in water bodies and in private properties by the agencies.
The agitated villagers demanded that the contractor immediately stop the ongoing work and instead restore the water channel, fearing flooding of the village during the ensuing monsoons.
The meeting was called by Village Sarpanch Inacinha Fernandes, who invited the highway contractor as well as the PWD engineers, besides the affected villagers in his office. However, since the contractor and the engineers were conspicuous by their absence, the sarpanch and the villagers descended at the site when representatives of the contractor made their presence felt.
Ramiro Mascarenhas told the media that the contractor has dumped mud in private properties along the stretch of the highway. “We can find an amicable solution to the problem only if the work on the project is stopped immediately and the contractor told to first clear the mud from the water channel and the properties,” Ramiro said.
Damaciana D’Cruz said he had come to pluck coconuts in his property, only to find mud dumped there and the retaining wall damaged. “My coconut tree is damaged by the work. They have dumped mud in my property. The retaining wall is broken and the traditional water nullah has been almost buried by the work,” he said, while fearing that this may all lead to flooding of the area.
A local resident Valerian Fernandes said the local villagers had cooperated with the agencies so that there’s no delay in the implementation of the project. He, however, lamented that the work has blocked the water nullah, which will lead to unprecedented flooding in the village. “We do not know who’s the contractor and the engineers. Our request to the government is to clear the nullah of the silt and the low lying areas of the mud to avoid flooding,” Valerian added.
Sarpanch Inacinha Fernandes told the media after the meeting that the village had no objection to the highway for the simple reason that it will reduce the heavy traffic passing through the village. He, however, hastened to add that the contractor and the highway should take care to ensure there’s no blockade of the water channel and they clear the mud dumped in the private properties.
“Our objection now is that water course should be kept open at all times. With monsoon round the corner, the water course should be opened immediately or the villagers may face the brunt of the nature’s fury for no fault of theirs,” he added.
The sarpanch called upon the highway authorities as well as the contractor to restore the damaged bandh and also remove the mud dumped in the private properties.
