PANJIM: Villagers of St Estevam on Sunday said that the bridge being built for linking Cumbharjua and St Estevam will have a catastrophic effect on the environment in the surrounding areas.
The bridge built by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) linking Cumbharjua and St Estevam village has hit a roadblock as the said construction has been challenged before the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) by the villagers, who claim that necessary clearance has not been obtained by the GSIDC. The Authority had issued directions to the GSIDC to stop the work of the bridge in May 2022.
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The government started the construction of the bridge for local farmers to cross river stream for cultivation of fields from Chune-Kator to Vanso field in village of Cumbharjua while a section of St Estevam villagers including one member of the St Estevam Biodiversity Management Committee opposed the bridge on the grounds that this project will destroy the khazans, crocodile habitat and pisciculture.
The GCZMA has reportedly completed the hearing of the concerned parties and is expected to soon pass an order in the matter. A petition was also filed before the National Green Tribunal by villagers.
“The project is pushed without obtaining permissions from the concerned authorities, land has also not been acquired and government has also not obtained the NOC from the owners of the affected properties,” a villager said.
“Mud has been dumped in the thick mangrove area on the Cumbharjua side, where the bridge is being built. This area falls under the CRZ regulations and we ought to protect it. We don’t want any development at the cost of our environment. One bridge already exists in the area and in addition a ferry boat is functional at Daujim. We feel that they want to build this bridge to benefit the builder lobby,” said another villager.
One of the petitioners on the condition of anonymity said that if the order of the GCZMA is not in the interest of the village then villagers will challenge it before the High Court.
