Major works yet to get govt nod in Canacona
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CANACONA, MAY 24
The monsoon is on the verge of arriving in the State and yet the work on destruction caused by October 2 floods is progressing at snail’s pace, while some major works are yet to receive the government’s nod.
If sources in the local water resources department are to be believed, many of the estimates submitted for obtaining approval have either been returned, while for others approvals have not been granted, thereby badly delaying many of the time-bound works.
Incidentally, the Talpona River, which had accumulated silt in large quantities, is not yet touched even though monsoon is barely a few days away.
“We have every reason to fear that if the river is not de-silted, it will lead to immediate floods in the coming monsoon,” said a resident from Talpona.
When enquired, it seems many of the clearing works in the rivers at Galgibaga and Talpona are pending for the simple reason of conflict in exercising control of jurisdiction in these areas.
“Even in one of the meetings chaired by the collector, it is decided that the captain of ports is the authority in the river mouth, till the reach of saline water in upper portions of a river. Accordingly, as far as Talpona river is concerned, the river portion up to Ordhofond-Bhatpal comes under the captain of ports, who has been apprised to do the needful,” informed a source at local WRD office.
It may be recalled that after the destruction caused by unprecedented last October floods, rehabilitation to the tune of Rs 42 crore was estimated by the Irrigation/Water Resources Department in Canacona taluka alone.
However, the work of de-silting and constructing of protection walls, which are either sanctioned or underway, amounts to just around Rs 12 crore, while several estimates are still pending for attention, reportedly for want of funds, informed a source.
It is learnt that no central fund as promised has been received and many of the proposed works, which need to be attended before monsoons, are lagging behind for need of funds.
According to WRD sources, some of the works which are either recently completed or undertaken in Canacona taluka include the de-silting of Kuske river near Cotigao Bridge at an approximate cost of Rs 5 lakh, Bandhara near Marfond-Cotigao (Rs 3 lakh), Bandhara near Paliye-Avem in Cotigao (Rs 4 lakh), protection walls at Edda-Borimoll in Cotigao (Rs 16 lakh), Avem-Cotigao (Rs 3.75 lakh) and Tamnamoll-Cotigao (Rs 60 lakh).
Besides, desilting works are underway at Gunji (Rs 2.08 lakh), Fondsorem (Rs 60,000), Kudri-Pedem in Loliem (Rs 7.5 lakh), Corfond Nalla (Rs 3.5 lakh), protection wall at Dayafond-Loliem (Rs 4.5 lakh), near Mallikarjun Devasthan, Shrishthal (Rs 65 lakh), Agondeshwar Temple in Agonda (Rs 80 lakh) and at Amona-Poinguinim (Rs 60 lakh).
Sources at the local WRD office also informed that construction of protection walls at Kuske (Rs 32 lakh) and Marfond (Rs 42 lakh) are already tendered, but work is yet to commence.
“Heavy siltation has taken place mostly in the upper portions of the rivers, some of which has been cleared, while works are underway in a few other places,” informed a WRD source.
A visit at Cotigao village saw that the de-silted waste, which includes mud, sand, stones and other waste, has been extracted and dumped by the roadside along most village roads.
