MAPUSA
In what has become a recurring nightmare for the residents of Guirim, the government's promise to dredge and desilt the Mapusa River from Guirim to Tar junction remains unfulfilled nearly a year after it was announced.
This year, the low-lying areas of Guirim, especially the main thoroughfare near the government school, experienced significant flooding following just one day of heavy rainfall on Sunday.
The inundation of fields and roads in Guirim and parts of Bastora, through which the Mapusa River flows, highlights the severe issue of accumulated silt preventing the efficient flow of excess rainwater.
This persistent problem underscores the lack of progress on the pledged desilting efforts.
During the monsoon session last year, Saligao MLA Kedar Naik, whose constituency includes Guirim, raised concerns about the annual flooding of fields in Guirim.
In response, Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar announced on the floor of the House plans to improve the Mapusa River from Guirim to Tar junction.
He assured that the work would be undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs 41.94 crore to mitigate the flooding problem in Guirim.
Shirodkar also committed to holding a priority meeting with the Captain of Ports to address the river's condition from Moira and beyond.
“The Mapusa/Tar river is around 4.5 km long. We are dredging the river from Moira up to the Tar bridge. There is also a provision for constructing a wall to protect the riverbanks at vulnerable stretches for about 1,200 metres,” Shirodkar stated on the floor of the House.
Despite these assurances nothing happened on the ground and the flooding issue persists.
Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira and Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza, in whose constituencies the Tar River flows, had also emphasised the need for a lasting solution to the flooding problem.
According to sources, the Captain of Ports (CoP) floated a tender in November last year, inviting bids to carry out the desilting work of the Mapusa River, also known as the Tar River, over a length of 5 km, with a width of 15 mtrs and a depth of 2 mtrs.
The work was scheduled to commence in December last year and completed by March 2024.
However, the project is yet to begin.
Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza expressed frustration over the delay and urged the government to take up the desilting and deweeding of rivers not only in Mapusa but across the State.
He noted that the flooding in Guirim has become an annual affair, but this year’s deluge was unprecedented in scale.
“For the last four days, the water in the village, especially near the government school, has not receded,” D’Souza said.
The Mapusa MLA called for more decisive action from the government, emphasising the need for timely execution of such crucial projects.
“The government has the machinery and the resources to undertake the dredging of the river. It should focus on the timely execution of the works. The government should be more aggressive in taking up such projects so that people do not suffer,” he added.
As residents of Guirim and surrounding areas continue to deal with the aftermath of flooding, the government's delayed response to the desilting of the Mapusa River remains a significant concern.
The promised project, now overdue, holds the key to alleviating the annual flooding woes and ensuring the safety and well-being of the local communities.
