PANAJI
Locals stopped construction work of a bandhara at Mirabag-Sanvordem on Monday, after voicing their strong opposition to the project.
A Curchorem police team was deployed to maintain law and order in the area and machinery was removed from the site.
Locals are opposed to the bandhara amid fears that the Sangameshwar temple will get submerged and that the project is being constructed to benefit certain individuals.
Residents have been voicing their opposition to the project for over a year, when they had put forth their concerns over the site at a meeting with their MLAs, Nilesh Cabral and Ganesh Gaonkar.
Subsequently, the bandhara project was shifted to a different location and excavation work began there. However, locals in that area protested and forcibly stopped work at the site.
But a few months later, excavation work for the bandhara resumed at the original location, causing anger among residents of Mirabag. This led to further meetings and renewed awareness campaigns against the bandhara.
As part of this awareness campaign, a meeting was held on Sunday and residents resolved to oppose the project and to stop the work. Work on the project on Monday added to their anger and several locals gathered at the site. They got the work stopped and, anticipating trouble, machinery was removed from the site.
Residents warned that they will not remain silent if efforts are made to construct the bandhara at the site.
“We have been repeatedly telling the government for clarity on the project, but no one is listening to the locals. No matter what happens, we will not let the bandhara be built at this site,” said Upendra Naik.
