The inundated flood plains of river Sal at Mungul.
MARGAO: As the 10-member panel constituted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has called the petitioner for a meeting vis-Ã -vis construction of the controversial stretch of western bypass, the panel may have to answer two crucial questions “ where would the displaced rain water find its way when around 15 hectare (ha) area of the River Sal flood plains are proposed to be filled up for the earthen embankment to pave way for the bypass; secondly, and equally important, from where would the PWD, National Highway arrange lakhs of cubic meters of mud to fill up the flood plains?
The first question was dealt with by the Water Resources Department when its study pointed out that the total area likely to be filled up for the bypass is about 15 ha in the flood plain along the 2.75 km to be constructed stretch of the bypass. The WRD report stated that the foot print of the proposed embankment will occupy 2.18 per cent of the total detain areas in the flood plains. “This will result into the afflux of 3cms as against the available free board available for residential area of approximately 1.0mts, the afflux will not cause any significant rise in the flood level due to filling”, the report stated.
Petitioner Royla Fernandes, however, sought to know how and where will the displaced flood water find its way when the NH fills up 15 ha of the flood plains? In fact, this question has been rattling the minds of the villagers of Benaulim and Seraulim who have been demanding the bypass on stilts, fearing that the displaced flood waters may submerge low lying fields and inhabited areas. “Will the construction of additional culverts along the bypass alignment resolve the issue of flooding when the area proposed to be filled up is a whopping 15 ha”, Royla questioned.
That’s not all. Questions are also being raised how and from where would the PWD, National Highway arrange thousands of truck loads of mud to raise the earthen embankment along the 2.75 km stretch to prepare the way for the bypass.
Agitating villagers had in the past questioned whether the PWD, NH or the contractor would flatten hills and mountains to make available lakhs of cubic meters of mud for the land filling. “Preliminary estimates state that lakhs of cubic meters of mud may be required to raise the earthen embankment along the 2.75 km bypass stretch. We are not only concerned about the hydrology of the area, but also the hills and mountains, which comprises our rich bio-diversity and heritage”, Royla added.
Will NGT-panel invite
Sanjit for his expert
opinion on the issue?
MARGAO: Will the NGT-constituted 10-member committee invite South Goa Additional Collector Sanjit Rodrigues say on the western bypass project which is proposed through the flood plains of River Sal?
For, Sanjit, during his posting as the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Margao around two decades ago had headed a panel, which prepared an Action Plan to avoid flooding in the flood prone areas of Salcete.
In the report, the panel had recommended the government to give a second thought to the construction of the western bypass passing through the flood plains.
The report states “In the vast low lying areas from Ambaji, Seraulim, Pedda areas serve as a vast efflux for storm water as 'well as silting basin. Major developments in these areas should be considered with abundant caution. A point in case is the ongoing controversy regarding the vast filling which has been carried out at Pedda, Benaulim.
Another development is the proposed western bypass road from Nuvem to Navelim which will cut a road across this drainage path and should involve a massive provision of cross-drainage including causeway section if it should not pose a major problem.
A second thought is recommended regarding this project and instead the required Bypass to Margao could be achieved, if required by four-laning the Eastern Bypass road part of which is constructed.”
… And what about the
views of panchayats?
MARGAO: Has the NGT-constituted panel invited the village panchayats of Benaulim and Seraulim to give their say on the construction of the yet to be constructed 2.75 km stretch of the bypass through the flood plains of these two villages?
These two village panchayats must have adopted a host of resolutions since the last half-a-decade, demanding construction of the bypass on stilts, fearing large scale inundation of the low-lying fields and flood plains of these villages.
