PANAJI
The State government’s Water Resources Department (WRD) commenced work on the Rs 80 crore Murdi-Sonarbaag bandhara project on the Khandepar river on Friday, invoking section 144 of the CrPC and deploying a strong police force in the area amid protests by locals.
Residents of the area who were protesting denounced the government’s action accusing it of a dictatorial attitude for imposing section 144 and have resolved to continue protesting against the execution of the project which they fear will worsen the flood situation they face in the monsoon every year.
Anticipating the protests by locals, the administration had deployed a strong police force pooling in personnel from different police stations. Police Inspectors from these police stations were also present at the site shadowing the personnel and officials from the WRD at Murdi where the work of the approach road to the bandhara was initiated.
According to the WRD officials, the Rs 80 crore project has all the environmental clearances and public hearings had also been held. It will have five pillars of approximately five-meter height.
The protesting locals, meanwhile, contested the WRD claim and alleged that they have not been consulted and kept in the dark.
At the public hearings, the WRD officials were unable to give explanations on queries raised related to the benefits of the project and the damage it would cause to the nearby areas and people living there, they alleged.
Recently, the Curti-Khandepar panchayat had adopted a resolution opposing the project and the NOC granted had also been revoked by it, panchayat member Abijeet Gaude said.
Every year during the monsoons, the area gets flooded and some 80 houses get affected. If the bhandara is built, the flood situation will worsen and more houses will be affected, they claimed.
Meanwhile, the villagers were also upset with the decision of the government to impose section 144 which they said was an assault on their civic rights, including to observe the ‘Shravan’ period and to celebrate the subsequent Ganesh Chathurthi festival.
Work on the Bhandara project is expected to go on for two years which they fear will disturb and affect their day-to-day lives.
