On the bank of the Mapusa-Tar River a board has been erected, which reads “The Mapusa-Tar River desilting work is the development of Water Resources Department (WRD)”, from Tar bridge stretch upto NH-17, at the cost of Rs 43.24 lakhs.
I am not opposed to the development, but my little experience and knowledge suggests that, before commencing the development works a retaining wall should have been constructed on both sides of the river upto NH-17. Why, one side to protect the houses which had come up in recent times on the river bank, on the other side to give added strength to the mangroves roots. Desilting only of 240 meters up to NH-17 means a temporary man made relief to the river, a waste full exercise, which can or will repeat again sooner or later. If the desilting exercise should remain lasting relief, the need of the hour, the WRD should remove the pipe blockage at the NH-17 which reduces high and low tide pressure entry to 50%. Due to this phenomenon the silt gets formed.
Therefore, the river should be thrown open for navigational traffic like was before NH-17 passes, then only the river will see the light of the day forever. I am not a river expert. Request the WRD to take up the matter with NIO experts to know what low and high tide negative and positive impacts will be on the river.
