MARGAO
With the Goa government ignoring repeated pleas made by the Benaulikars to build the western bypass on stilts passing through the village, the panchayat has knocked on the doors of the High Court with a plea in support of the construction of the bypass on stilts.
In what is seen as a last-ditch attempt by the Benaulim panchayat to convince the High Court which is monitoring the bypass project in the Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the panchayat has moved the court at a time when the Goa government remains unmoved over its plea to build the bypass on stilts and fears of inundations of the village loom large if the bypass is built on earthen embankments via landfilling.
Sources said the Benaulim panchayat through its sarpanch Xavier Pereira has filed the Miscellaneous Civil Application armed with a preliminary Hydrology Report conducted by an agency on behalf of the panchayat.
The panchayat is also believed to have filed the report of the Water Resources Department (WRD) which had virtually recommended construction of the bypass passing through Benaulim on stilts in the wake of unprecedented floods that hit the village in the 2022 monsoons.
The panchayat’s Miscellaneous Civil application had come up before the High Court on the last date of hearing earlier this month before the matter was adjourned to June 19, with the court saying the parties to the application may file their response to the application on or before the next date of hearing.
The panchayat’s application made to the High Court assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact that the pleas made to the Goa government as well as the Centre to build the bypass on stilts have not evoked a positive response to date.
A delegation comprising of the sarpanch Xavier, and Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas had even called on Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari with a plea to build the bypass on stilts and had received a “dekhenge” response from the minister.
They had also separately called on Margao MLA Digambar Kamat with a plea to use his good offices with Union Minister Gadkari and get approval for the construction of the bypass on stilts.
So far, no decision has come from the Union Minister’s office to the Goa government.
On the other hand, however, the contractor engaged by the PWD, National Highways has increased the pace of the ongoing work on the project as per the chart submitted to the High Court. The contractor submitted a status report of the work being executed on the bypass at the last date of hearing earlier this week, with the court directing the PWD to verify the status of compliance and file an affidavit on or before the next date of hearing on June 19.
The PWD had floated a separate tender to execute the bypass work along the balance 2.75 km stretch from Seraulim, near the wholesale fish market to Benaulim near the shopping mall on the Benaulim-Varca road. However, the Goa government agreed to build 900 metre stretch of the bypass on stilts after the 10-member expert committee headed by the Environment Secretary appointed by the National Green Tribunal recommended bypass on stilts along the stretch after Benzulim villager Royla Fernandes had knocked on the doors of the Tribunal with a plea to build the entire 2.5 km stretch on stilts.
Will extra culverts at Tolleaband help overcome monsoon floods?
MARGAO
Will the increased number of culverts being put in place along the Tolleaband stretch of the western bypass in Benaulim help overcome the inundation of the plains of Benaullim during the monsoons?
A visit to Tolleaband water body on Tuesday revealed that work is underway to build a number of culverts along the stretch for a smooth flow of rainwater. When Benaulim villagers have been demanding the bypass on stilts, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral instead increased the number of culverts along the Tolleaband water body from three to 10-11.
Not many, however, are convinced that the culverts will solve the issue of flooding and inundation of the low-lying areas of Benaulim and neighbouring villages.
It is feared in many quarters that not just Benaulim, but the adjoining villages of Seraulim and the low-lying areas of Mungul in Fatorda and Comba in Margao will be affected if the bypass is not built on stilts on the Benaulim stretch.
Similar fears had been raised by a high-level panel headed by then Margao Sub-divisional Magistrate, Sanjit Rodrigues constituted to probe into the unprecedented flooding of Margao and surrounding areas and recommend suitable measures. One of the measures recommended by the Sanjit-led panel was to rethink the construction of the bypass along the wetlands of Margao.
Residents of Benaulim as well as Seraulim say the increased number of culverts will not suffice to ensure the smooth flow of rainwater at the Tolleaband water body, which has been acting as a water catchment area during the monsoon.
Even though the government will now build the 900-metre stretch from Seraulim to Mungul rail overbridge on stilts, fears are raised in Seraulim and Mungul that the two areas will not get much relief unless the Benaulim stretch is put on stilts.
Officials confident of completing 2.75 km stretch by next May
MARGAO
Officials of the PWD, National Highway in private have exuded confidence in completing work on the 2.75 km balance stretch of the western bypass between Seraulim and Benaulim in all respects by April-May 2024.
Though the High Court had earlier set December 2023 as the deadline to complete work on the project, the intervening circumstances including the decision to build the 900-metre stretch of the bypass between Seraulim and the Mungul railway overbridge on stilts, besides work near the Konkan railway line is expected to delay the project.
Even though the contractor has filed a status report on the bypass work to the High Court at the earlier held last week, PWD, NH officials said work on the balance 2.75 km stretch will be completed in all respects by May 2024.
“Work on erecting the concrete columns between the wholesale fish market and Mungul-Colva road is in full swing. The contractor is also carrying out the work of pre-cast girders at a different site,” the official said.
