Govt blamed for death due to falling branch

MARGAO  

Holding the government responsible for the death of the 57-year-old Sarzora woman at Navelim on Tuesday after a tree came crashing down on the two-wheeler, the Congress has demanded that the government mete out justice by compensating the family.

Questioning the failure of the disaster management agency for not undertaking the exercise of trimming branches of trees along the roads, a Congress delegation led by GPCC Chief  Amit Patkar has demanded that the district authorities immediately take up the work of trimming the trees leaning on the roads.

As the delegation handed over a memorandum to the Additional district Collector, Srinet Kothwale, the GPCC Chief demanded to know why the district disaster management agency and the departments such as the PWD or Forest did not initiate the tree trimming work as part of the pre-monsoon works.

“There have been another instance at Sanguem when a tree fall had claimed an innocent life. The government is solely  responsible for the death of the Sarzora rider. The family should be compensated and the authorities immediately take up the job of trimming the branches of trees leaning on the national highway road and the MDRs,” demanded South Goa district Congress president Savio D’Silva.

The Additional Collector has assured the delegation that a meeting of the district disaster management authority would be called with the line departments, including the PWD to take stock of the situation in the wake of the death of the lady rider from Sarzora at Navelim.

Besides Amit and Savio, the delegation comprised of Mahila chief Beena Naik, Capt. Viriato Fernandes, Everson Vales, Joseph Vaz, ZP member Michel Rebello, Moreno Rebello and others.