Sudin, PWD officials flip-flop on inspection promise
the goan I network
MARGAO
When the PWD Minister had descended on Benaulim along with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to inspect the bypass alignment following protests by local residents and demands made by local MLA Caitu Silva for stilts, Dhavalikar had promised an inspection during the rains. When he made the assurance, he pleaded to the people to allow the contractor to continue with the filling of land for the project.
Incessant and heavy rains over the last 24 hours have inundated the water catchment areas along the bypass alignment right from Mungul to Khareband bridge at Benaulim, but neither the PWD Minister nor his senior officials, including NH-17 chief Parsekar, have come for an inspection.
While Caitu Silva was seen hopping from Benaulim to Mungul and Seraulim to take stock of the situation, he lamented that the officials, which were pushing for the bypass project against the wishes of the people,
have been conspicuous by their absence.
“On Monday, I called up NH-17 Chief Engineer Parsekar asking him to either come to Benaulim personally or depute his senior staff to gauge the situation. So far, niether PWD officials nor the contractor has made their presence felt,” Caitu rued.
The Goan understands that an assistant engineer and a junior engineer had inspected the bypass route and found the alignment submerged under water. An executive engineer may make his presence felt at the site in a day or two to take stock of the situation.
When The Goan visited the banks of river Sal along the bypass alignment at Benaulim, Mungul and Seraulim, the low-lying water catchment areas were totally submerged under water all along the route. The low-lying areas behind the Vidya Vikas Mandal education complex were also submerged under water.
Benaulim residents fear that the flood water may submerge the Pedda-Khareband road if heavy rains continue throughout the night. “The flooding of the low-lying areas of Mungul-Benaulim stretch should come as an eye opener for the PWD in particular and the government to do a rethink and stop bulldozing its way with the bypass,” remarked a resident Roque Fernandes.
Incidentally, flooding of the water catchment areas of the Benaulim-Mungul-Seraulim belt around a decade-and-half ago had prompted then Sub-divisional Magistrate Margao Sanjit Rodrigues to recommend to the authorities to do a re-think on the construction of the bypass through the wet lands of Margao and Benaulim.
