the goan I network
MARGAO
Even as the government has been trying to bulldoze the controversial Western bypass through the flood plains of River Sal citing HC directions, the Goa Forward has decided to knock the doors of the judiciary with a plea to direct the government to build the bypass on stilts along the 2.75 km stretch between Benaulim, Mungul and Seraulim.
GF chief Vijai Sardesai pointed out that CM Pramod Sawant was on record on the floor of the House that the government would build a bypass on stilts along the 2.7 km stretch from Benaulim-Mungul-Seraulim.
Lamenting that the CM and the government had gone back on their word to build the bypass on stilts, Sardesai said the only option left for the people was to approach the Court.
“When a promise made on the floor of the House in the Temple of Democracy is being dishonoured by the government, the people have been left with no option than to approach the judiciary,” he said, adding that the Goa Forward would move the Court to get justice for the people agitating in support of a genuine demand.
The decision of the Goa Forward to move the High Court assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact that the Benaulim panchayat had recently decided to approach the High Court to demand the western bypass on stilts.
“I had all along demanded that the government build the western bypass on stilts along the 2.75 km passing through the wetlands and flood plains of the river Sal. The Mungul stretch of the bypass is in Fatorda constituency and the people have been living in fear that the bypass, if not built on stilts, would inundate their low-lying areas. The CM had assured me on the floor of the House that the government is aware of the ground reality, andwould build the bypass on stilts, only to go back on his word,” he said.
The agitation against the Western bypass has gained momentum in the last fortnight after the national highway, PWD had resumed work on the bypass at Benaulim via land filling on the premise that the work has resumed on the directions of the High Court.
On Children’s day, a group of kids from Benaulim had assembled near the Benauli-Tolleabandh stretch of the bypass, with a plea to save Benaulim from destruction. This was followed by a delegation from Benaulim led by former Sarpanch Royla Fernandes calling on Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate during her visit to the Collectorate earlier this week, to drawn her attention to how inhabitants residing at Tollebandh are evacuated to Nehru stadium every monsoon due to flooding.
