MARGAO
Blame it on the western bypass or otherwise, roads along the bypass alignment in the flood plains of river Sal at Benaulim and Seraulim were submerged under water on Tuesday.
That’s not all. Complaints of reverse water flow from the river Sal were heard once again as the large tracts of low-lying fields of Mungul, Seraulim and Benaulim were submerged under water for the second day.
At Benaulim, where the government has bulldozed its way with the bypass road through the Tolleaband water body, considered the water catchment area during monsoons, bore the brunt of the heavy rains. Not only the Khareband-Pedda road was submerged near the underpass, the service road under construction at the bypass stretch running through the Tolleaband water body was also submerged under water.
Water flow from the Tolleband water body to the river Sal was not as quick as it should have been and it was apparent that the narrow culverts on the Benaulim-Varca road slowed down the movement of water. Questions were also raised whether the over-half-a-dozen culverts built along the Tolleaband bypass has achieved the objective or whether the failure to put in place additional culverts on the Benaulim-Varca road came in the way of quick drainage of the flood water.
Seraulim road junction flooded
The road at the Seraulim junction was also overflowing with flood water on Tuesday. That’s not all. Large tracts of paddy fields have been lying submerged under water since the last two days, raising fears amongst farmers that they may suffer huge loses. Take note, the western bypass from the Seraulim road junction to the Mungul railway crossing, is built on stilts. Villagers, however, pointed out that the debris dumped during the construction of the bypass on stilts, is obstructing the smooth flow of flood waters.
In fact, social activist and ex-Seraulim panchayat member Kevin D’Souza pointed that leave alone the smooth flow of water, villagers have come across reverse flow of water from the river, leaving the Seraulim fields inundated,” he said.
He added: “Farmers have recently completed the sowing operations in the fields near the Church. Today, they are all submerged under water. This has raised fears of the farmers suffering huge losses.”
