MARGAO: Two delegations representing the Benaulim and Chinchinim village panchayats submitted memorandums to Union Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday, listing out their objections and suggestions pertaining to the National Highway expansion in Salcete.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral were also present for these meetings.
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The Benaulim locals along with MLA Venzy Viegas demanded that the Western Bypass stretch passing through Benaulim be built on stilts and not via embankments. The Chinchinim village panchayat members led by Sarpanch Valentino Barreto placed on record their objections to the proposed national highway expansion and listed their concerns that the expansion of the highway will damage houses and displace residents.
Regarding Benaulim, the locals have been demanding a bypass on stilts and not embankments to avoid substantial damage that would be caused not just to the fields but also the biodiversity of the area.
The petitioner in the National Green Tribunal (NGT), former Benaulim Sarpanch Royla Fernandes, expressed hope that the Union Highway Minister would agree to the demands of the villagers of Benaulim.
“Hope is the reason for the season! We had a brief meeting with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today evening and handed over our memorandum along with Captain Venzy Viegas (Benaulim MLA), Benaulim Sarpanch Xavier Pereira and former Sarpanch John Baretto,” said Fernandes.
The locals and the panchayat also brought up the recent flooding that took place at the proposed site for the Western Bypass in Benaulim and multiple reports from various government departments, warning against building the bypass via embankments.
