MARGAO
Sustained pressure and protests by the villages of Guirdolim and Chandor, besides activists against the execution of track doubling work by filling up water bodies has finally paid dividends.
The Water Resources department (WRD) on Tuesday evening directed the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) to immediately stop the ongoing work at Guirdolim. RVNL General Manager, S B Sahoo was further issued a notice, directing him to show cause within a week why action should not be initiated against him under the provisions of the Goa Irrigation Act, 1973 and under rule 1975.
WRD, Executive Engineer Ankush Gaonkar further directed the RVNL General manager to submit the details such as the land acquisition plan, provision for water flow network of the river and details of drainage of water etc to the WRD office.
In the show cause notice, the WRD Executive Engineer stated that it has come to his notice during site inspection at Guirdolim on January 29 along with the Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias and the local representatives that the water bodies of Zuari river tributary and the sluice gate at survey No. 260 and 261 at Guirdolim and Chandor Panchayat border have been filled with mud and blocked by the railways during the construction of retaining wall for double tracking of the railway track.
The WRD engineer further stated that the work is being carried out without obtaining the permission from the Canal Officer, thereby violating section 75 of the Irrigation Act, 1973.
The WRD’s stop work order-cum-show cause notice comes after the second round of inspection of the site by the Executive engineer, Ankush Gaonkar along with the Cuncolim MLA and Chandor and Guirdolim Panchayat members and villagers on Tuesday.
During the inspection, the villagers had claimed that the railway work has been going on unabated at the site, with the inspection by the MLA and the WRD officials having no effect on the railways. In fact, the locals claimed on Tuesday that the illegalities continued at the site during the last two days, while demanding immediately stoppage of the ongoing track doubling work.
After personally taking a close look at the RVNL works along with the WRD officials and the villagers, Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias had instructed WRD Executive Engineer, Ankush Gaonkar to immediately issue a stop work order and halt the ongoing works till the railways seek permission from the WRD to resume the track laying work.
Meanwhile, WRD EE, Ankush Gaonkar told The Goan that the RNVL should submit an alternate plan to his office to show how the railways intend to retain the existing sluice gate and maintain the natural water flow in the area. “On Saturday, I had told the railways to stop the work since the work was being carried out without permission. But, it is clear that the railways continued the work on Sunday and Monday without the requisite permissions”, he added.
