SANGUEM
Acting swiftly on reports highlighting the delay in restoring the scrapped Mirabag Bhandara project site, the Water Resources Department (WRD) has begun filling the deep excavation pits, marking a significant step towards implementing the government’s decision to cancel the controversial project.
The move comes after villagers from Mirabag on Wednesday raised serious safety concerns over the government’s failure to fill the deep pits dug for the foundation of the now-scrapped Bhandara project.
The villagers warned that the open pits posed a serious risk to people and livestock, particularly during the ongoing monsoon. They had repeatedly urged the government to fill the dangerous pits immediately after the project’s cancellation to prevent accidents and restore the affected area.
The Mirabag Bhandara project was officially scrapped following sustained protests by residents, who feared that the proposed barrage across the Zuari River would flood homes and agricultural fields while causing irreversible environmental damage.
Following the protests, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured villagers that the project would be cancelled and that the excavation pits would be filled.
Residents have welcomed the work to fill the pits, describing it as the fulfilment of one of the government’s key assurances after the protests.
They have expressed hope that the remaining commitments, including the complete restoration of the project site and other affected infrastructure, will also be fulfilled without further delay.
