Last year the State received over 150 inches of rain and Goa was one of the four States to be under floods, the others being Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra. With just over a month left for the monsoon, considering that Goa gets pre-monsoon showers in mid and late May, the State has its task cut out to complete the pre-monsoon works on time, especially as parts of the State have been dug up for infrastructure projects like the Zuari bridge, four-lanning of NH66 and others. If these works are left unattended, it could result in a nightmare for Goans, especially people commuting on the NH66 (Pernem to Canacona). Infrastructure development was abruptly stopped since March 22, to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
With Goa under a lockdown from March 22, all these projects have been left almost abandoned for nearly a month and with the lockdown being extended for another 19 days, the State will get less than a fortnight to finish the pre-monsoon works. With a large section of the migrant labour force currently without work in Goa, due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown, Directorate of Panchayats has instructed panchayats to employ them for pre-monsoon works. In a circular issued to sarpanchas and panchayat secretaries, Panchayat Director Narayan Gad also instructed the panchayats to employ the migrant workers for the Swatchha Bharat Mission. The panchayats have been directed to identify such labourers, and issue them transit or work permits for execution of pre-monsoon work.
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As per government records, there are nearly one lakh migrant labourers stuck in Goa due to the lockdown. The government has put in place shelter homes for them, where food and other facilities are provided to them daily. As per the guidelines of the Directorate of Panchayat, all the urgent pre-monsoon related works will continue during the 21-day national lockdown. The Directorate has issued an order that no new labourers be brought from other States and contractors and panchayats will have to manage with whoever remained in the State so that they also get jobs and there is no threat of a COVID-19 positive person entering the State. While there are over a lakh labourers stranded in Goa, the government and the panchayats must utilise their services and complete the works. But despite the government order, there does not seem to be much activity done by panchayats and municipalities, barring a few.
Even before the government issued the order the Corporation of City of Panaji started pre-monsoon work of road-resurfacing, desilting, etc, despite the lockdown, to avoid accidents, flooding, water-logging and diseases during the rains – it has a little over a month to complete the job. CCP has pressed into service nearly 500 labourers. However, on the other hand, there are panchayats that claim they have no funds to carry out these works unless government grants are sanctioned. If that is the case, the government must release funds to panchayats or the State could be staring at another flooded monsoon, as experienced in 2019.
Another problem is that houses, especially the old ones that use traditional Mangalore tiles, are yet to commence their pre-monsoon preparation as there are no labourers available nor permission from the government to carry out such works for now unless the lockdown is lifted or relaxed. Many hope, as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that the government will relax the lockdown post April 20 as by then the cases of COVID-19 in Goa are expected to be zero.
