VASCO
Nearly 11 months after a 16-year-old boy from Shantinagar-Vasco drowned in a stone quarry in a remote area of Cansaulim, the quarry owner has expressed willingness to fill the quarry but has to seek approvals from authorities.
When contacted, Cortalim MLA Anton Vas said he had already begun the process to get the quarry landfilled at Cansaulim.
"It was a very unfortunate incident that a 16-year-old boy died of drowning in the quarry that was filled with water during monsoons last year. Mindful of such a tragic incident, I have already spoken to the quarry owner and he has agreed to landfill the quarry at his own cost,” said Vas.
“However this procedure of landfilling requires valid approvals and permissions from the authorities like the deputy collector. I have now asked the quarry owner to get the documents and we will take up the issue with the collector.”
“I also request the Dy Collector to expedite the formalities so that the quarry can be landfilled and there will be no such tragic incidents in the future."
When contacted, Bogmalo Sarpanch Sankalp Mahale said that there was a laterite quarry in the panchayat jurisdiction but maintained that people do not venture into the quarry for swimming.
Following the drowning of the 16-year-old Vasco boy at the Cansaulim quarry on July 11, 2023, Cortalim MLA Anton Vas along with officials from the government, panchayat, police and Goa State Commission for protection of Children Rights Chairman Peter Borges had inspected the laterite quarry on July 14, 2023.
Speaking at that time, Borges had said the Commission had taken cognisance of incident.
