MARGAO
A group of villagers descended in the fields and forced the operator of the heavy earth moving machinery to stop all operations at the site. They further stopped the trucks transporting earth to the site, demanding to know the permissions and approvals from the authorities. The villagers vowed not to allow further land filling work in the village, raising apprehensions that the huge land filing work will cause flooding in the village. A police team led by Margao PI C L Patil that reached the site tried to find out from the villagers the reasons behind the stoppage of work. They pointed out to the police that the work is being carried out without permissions and approvals. Though PI Patil called the agitating villagers and the contractor to his office on Thursday evening, only the contractor is believed to have turned up with the work order. “I have told the contractor to take an official to the site and explain the villagers on the questions relating to the permissions and approvals for the project. The police could not do anything today since the questions raised were technical in nature,” PI Patil said. Though Navelim MLA and Fisheries Minister, Avertano Furtado had promised the villagers that he would accompany them to the site to stop the ongoing land filling work, the Minister was conspicuous by his absence. Sources said the Minister was spotted on the road before heading to his office to meet some engineers. Navelim sarpanch Frank Fernandes, panch member, Sanrit Coelho and others, besides villagers, including George Barretto were amongst others who descended in the low lying to stop the work. George lamented that the work is being undertaken without taking the permission of the local body. He demanded to know why the NH-17 passing through the village was being widened if the government had plans to build the western bypass. “We also want to know from where the earth is being procured. Let the TCP show us the hills which are being cut to get the earth for the land filling,” George said, while demanding to know why the Fisheries Minister has not come with the people to stop the work. Sidharth Karapurkar said work on the project will not start till the contractor explains the source of the earth transported to the village for land filling.
