MARGAO
He came, he saw and went back after taking a look at the Tolleaband lake, Benaulim, where the PWD, National Highways has proposed construction of the western bypass right through the water body, but Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar has only promised to take up the issue of building the bypass on stilts with the government.
Against the backdrop of the report compiled by his very own WRD department in support of the bypass on stilts, many might have expected the WRD Minister to take a firm stand that the report would be taken to its logical conclusion with the government in support of the bypass on stilts.
Shirodkar, however, only handed out a promise to take up the contentious issue of the bypass on stilts with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral. The WRD Minister has promised to call a joint meeting with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant after October 10 to discuss the issue.
When the WRD Minister visited the Tolleaband water body on Thursday morning before descending at the Komla Tollem in Benaulim, the very same WRD officials, including WRD Executive Engineer, Ankush Gaunkar accompanied Shirodkar along with local MLA Venzy Viegas.
When the media later questioned Shirodkar on his stand on the controversial bypass issue when the WRD’s report has pitched for the bypass on stilts, the WRD Minister remarked, “If the WRD has proposed something, they must have not done the report blindly, but must have taken into account certain factors why the bypass ought to be built on stilts. The WRD officials must have also taken cognizance of the demands of the locals fighting for the bridge or flyover in the area.”
Shirodkar even went to the extent of saying that the government can modify the bypass plan if any shortcomings have come to light subsequently. “See this project is being executed for the people. I will not come from Shiroda or the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant from Panaji to use the bypass road.”
He further stated the government can look into the demand for the construction of the balance portion of the bypass on stilts, after having agreed to build a kilometre of the bypass on stilts taking into account the ground reality.
“I have seen the bypass passing through Tolleaband water body. If there is any issue, the government can certainly do a review. We will discuss the issue,” he said, while Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas called for the intervention of the WRD Minister to mete out justice to the villagers and farmers.
“Since the bypass issue is being monitored by the High Court, as a State we can submit to the Court that the government is in support of the bypass on stilts on certain grounds,” Venzy told the Minister, who was then invited to come to Panaji for a joint meeting with the Chief Minister and PWD Minister after October 10.
There was, however, no firm promise from the WRD Minister that the bypass will be built on stilts considering the damning report compiled by the WRD officials, warning of a possibility of disaster to life, livelihood, and property of the local inhabitants in future if the authorities go ahead with the construction of the western bypass on embankment.
