PANAJI
A delegation of villagers from Khandepar, Usgao and surrounding areas on Tuesday called on Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai seeking his intervention to scrap the proposed bandhara project on the Khandepar river.
The villagers also demanded immediate withdrawal of Section 144, imposed to facilitate the construction of the bhandara.
The bandhara project proposed on the Khandepar river by the Department of Water Resources includes construction of barrage and water pumping station at Murdiwada, improvement to Shitole tank at Savoi-Verem for irrigation and drinking water supply to Savoi-Verem and Querim including neighbouring village of Priol in Ponda taluka.
But villagers of Murdi-Khandepar and Sonarbag-Usgao are vehemently opposing the project citing several environmental concerns. The villagers informed the Governor that the project has been illegally brought in the tribal area by the people with vested interests in the construction and eco-tourism projects.
They also feared that the project could led to inundating of the low-lying areas during the rainy season affecting around 70-80 families of the tribal population residing in the Murdiwada area. They pointed out that the river has witnessed floods in the past.
The villagers said that the concerned panchayats have also adopted resolutions against the bandhara project.
