Lucky escape for residents following landslide in Sada

Ward councillor Damodar Naik, Mamlatdar Pran Vijay Pandit and others at the landslide site near the Masjid at Rumdawada-Sada in Vasco.

Photo Credits: Vikram Nayak

VASCO

It was a lucky escape for residents in a number of houses at Sada after a major landslide occurred near the Masjid at Rumdawada in the wee hours of Saturday. Occupants of the affected houses have been asked to shift to a shelter home at Sancoale.

The landslide was reported at around 5 am when several boulders and the toilet block of a house belonging to Saifullah Shaikh on the hillock came sliding down and fell on the house of Anita Parab below, damaging the house and roofing tiles.

Ward Councillor Damodar Naik rushed to the site and alerted the fire brigade and Dy Collector office. Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Girish Borker, Mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit and the talathi visited the site to take stock of the situation.

Speaking to media, Naik said that a retaining wall needs to be taken up on priority

"Fortunately, there was no loss of life in the incident because it occurred early morning and no one was present in those parts of the house which came sliding due to the landslide. The remaining houses continue to be in a dangerous position, and we have now conducted a joint inspection of the area after which we have got an assurance that a retaining wall, which is the need of the hour and will be taken to safeguard the lives of the residents in this area," said Naik.

Mamlatdar Pravinjay Pandit said a toilet block attached to the house of Saifullah Shaikh had slid down during the landslide and damaged the house of Anita Parab.

"I have directed the Talathi to assess the situation to provide gratuity relief to the affected people. We have also requested the occupants of the affected houses to shift to a shelter home at Sancoale. We will shift them after we get their willingness besides which we have proposed a retaining wall in the area to prevent such incidents in the future.”

“We have conducted a survey of landslide prone areas of Mornugao and we have submitted two proposals last week. Directions have been given to the PWD to take up the retaining wall under disaster management as a precautionary measure," said Pandit.