SANGUEM
The tribal villagers from Wadem Sanguem who were displaced after the construction of the Selaulim Dam have appealed to the Government to resolve their long-standing issue of providing housing and agricultural land on priority basis failing which the affected families have threatened to lead an agitation and also boycott the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.
The families formed part of the 72 families which are termed as 'missing families' by the Water Resources Department and have been waiting for the agricultural and housing plots for last over 43 years.
The affected families claim that the successive governments have only used them during elections while assuring of getting their grievances resolved soon after elections. However, the situation continues to remain the same for nearly four decades making the villagers finally chalk out plans for agitations.
Sanguem Block President of Gomantak Gaud Maratha Samaj Adv Anand Gaonkar informed that despite having rallied behind BJP during every election, the government has failed to solve the genuine problems of the tribal people who had sacrificed their ancestral lands to pave way for Selaulim Dam.
Gaonkar claimed that it is not only the affected families but people living in the whole of South Goa who are enjoying the water released from Selaulim Dam and should come out in support of these displaced families who eagerly wait for housing and agricultural plots even after 43 years of their displacement.
It is pertinent to note here that the government had granted housing plots of 400 sq mtr and an agricultural plot of 10,000 sq mtrs to each of the family affected by the construction of Selaulim Dam. However around 72 families whose names had missed in the original list of evacuees were subsequently put in the list of so called missing families and these families continue to remain landless even after four decades with successive governments only giving false promises during every election.
The affected claim that successive governments have taken them for guaranteed and are only using them during elections. With August 9 being considered as a Tribal Day all over the World, the governemnt should consider their demands at least on this day failing which they shall plan for their next course of action, they said.
