It may be recalled that about 50 people from Sal, who were earlier shifted from Tillari during the construction of Tillari irrigation project, on Monday resorted to indefinite hunger strike in protest against government’s failure to fulfil their demands. The residents demanded that they should be given a connecting road from their houses to Sal, besides other demands including the registration of their houses with the panchayat.
At a special meeting convened by authorities in the Bicholim BDO’s office, the residents highlighted their plight and demanded that they should be given their rights. After the discussion, the BDO assured that their demands will be fulfilled in a phased manner.
“We have been assured that our names will be sent to the Collector’s office, after which we will get residence certificates. The authorities also assured that we will be given house numbers and the BDO has asked us to submit the files with required documents,” said Devidas Naik from Sal.
“About 22 houses whose files are ready will get the house numbers. The Irrigation department has also agreed to shift the canal to make way for the road, which they said will be done only during rainy season,” added Naik.
Following the assurance, the residents called off their indefinite hunger strike.
It may be recalled that in 2002, about 150 families were shifted from Tillari-Maharashtra to Sal and 204 plots were reserved for them. As per the agreement, the Maharashtra government was given land in Sal to develop and provide all amenities to the displaced residents, before handing it over to the Goa government.
Earlier in 2010, the displaced families had staged a similar three-day hunger strike to get their houses registered with Sal Panchayat and about 87 houses were given numbers.
