MARGAO
Petitioner before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Royla Fernandes made an impassioned plea before the 10-member panel to save the flood plains of river Sal and the rich bio-diversity of the villages of Benaulim and Seraulim by building the 2.75 km balance portion of the western bypass on stilts.
The petitioner was called for a meeting with the 10-member panel on Friday in the South Goa district Goa district Collectorate, where she made an audio-visual presentation on the inundation of the river Sal flood plains along the 2.75 km, right from Benaulim to Seraulim.
The meeting which was attended by Secretary Environment, Kunal, district Collector, Ruchika Katyal, IAS, GCZMA Director Dashrath Redkar and representatives of GSPCB, WRD, Wetland Authority of Goa, State Bio-Diversity Board and others was held in-camera at the conference hall of the district Collectorate on Friday noon. The media were denied entry into the meeting hall by the security outside.
After coming out of the meeting, Royla lamented that the NGT had passed the order in June last constituting the panel to study the matter in view of her petition in support of the bypass for stilts, the meeting with her taken place almost two months later.
She pointed out that the Water Resources Department had conducted a report in summer, by taking into account the average rainfall and this 10-member panel has inspected the flood plains after the rains had subsided. Royla further said that Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao as well as Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai had spoken in the just-concluded session of the Goa Assembly rooting for the bypass along the 2.75 km route on stilts.
“I have pleaded with the panel to save the river Sal flood plains and the bio-diversity from destruction. I have impressed upon the panel that people are not opposing the bypass, but are only demanding construction of the same on stilts. If the government has no funds to build the bypass on stilts, let them wait till the time the exchequer is flushed with funds,” she said.
Royla added: “The panel ought to have inspected the flood plains when it rained heavily in June and July. They, however, preferred to inspect the place in August when it has almost stopped raining. I have also impressed upon the panel that building the bypass on stilts will save the hills and slopes from being flattened for land filling.”
The petitioner further pointed out to the Panel that though the National Highway have the right to take up activity on the acquired land, she, however asserted that the activity should not pose danger to human habilitation and the flora and fauna on the adjoining area.
Saying that the Panel is now expected to draw up an Action plan and get back to the NGT before the next date of hearing in November, Royla reiterated the box and wide culverts is not a solution to inundation of the river Sal flood plains.
QUESTION OF PROTECTING FLOOD PLAINS MAY COME TO HAUNT PANEL MEMBERS
