Curchorem locals protests bear fruit; by-pass soon: CM
HERALD REPORTERS
MARGAO/PANJIM, FEB 9
Bowing to the demands of residents of Curchorem, Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat on Wedneday assured the Ghanv Rakhon Jagrut Manch that the government would hold in abeyance land acquisition for the proposed Curchorem four-lane road and expedite construction of the Curchorem mining bypass.
The Chief minister’s assurance came after hundreds of protestors from Curchorem under GRJM banner marched to the city streets and held a Dhadak Morcha near Kamat’s Malbhat residence since early Wednesday morning.
Armed with banners and placards, the protestors were headed towards the CM’s residence, but were stopped by a huge posse of policemen, including armed personnel.
Undaunted, the protested squatted on the road, forcing the traffic police to divert all incoming traffic into the city near Kamat’s residence.
As the chief minister was holed up in the capital city, he invited a 10-member delegation to Panjim for discussion on the sensitive issue.
The protestors later took out a rally towards the District Collectorate where Public Works Department Minister Churchill Alemao and Revenue Minister, Jose Philip D’Souza were attending to public grievances.
The police again stopped the protestors at the entrance to the Collectorate building, even as the police presence was strengthened by additional reinforcements from the district.
Acting Superintendent of police (South) Tony Fernandes, who interacted with the protestors invited them for talks with the ministers, but they demanded that both Churchill and Jose Philip come down and hear their grievances.
When the PWD minister and revenue minister finally came down, the residents demanded the scrapping of the proposed four-lane road and to expedite land acquisition proceedings for the proposed mining bypass.
Alemao told the protestors that the government will not bullodoze the proposal for the four-lane road against the wishes of the people, even as the District Collector G P Naik announced the chief minister’s assurance to keep in abeyance land acquisition for the four-lane road.
The residents, however, point blank told the PWD minister and the district collector that they are tired of hearing assurances since the last four years and demanded concrete assurances in writing.
Incidentally, the district collector announced that the process for construction of the third phase of the Curchorem bypass has commenced and work has been awarded to the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation. “As far as the Curchorem bypass is concerned , PWD Division 25 has been told to submit a preliminary report and prepare the estimate”, Naik said, adding that the chief secretary has asked the GSIDC to compile a report on the feasibility of a canal bypass within four months.
When the protestors drew the attention of the district collector to the daily blockage of traffic by mining trucks, the collector told the acting SP, South to personally look into the matter to monitor the situation.
Panjim reporter adds: After failing to meet the CM in Margao, a delegation under the banner of Gaon Rakhan Jagrut Manch visited Kamat at his official residence at Altinho, here, where they were assured that no further proceeding in regards to four-laning of the existing highway would be undertaken.
“Though the CM has not given in writing, the district collector has been ordered to ask the land acquisition officer to keep on hold the procedure for invoking Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act,” Paresh Bhende, former chairperson of Curchorem-Cacora Municipal council told reporters outside the CM’s residence.
Bhende, who has been at the forefront of the agitation, said Kamat had assured to start the work on the by-pass at Curchorem soon to divert the mining traffic.
Activists pointed out there were around 10,000 students who cross the streets to reach their homes in this and neighbouring areas. The fast-moving ore carriers which pass by this town are a real danger to crossing pedestrians, they added.
Bhende reiterated the government was busy with alignment for highway expansion in spite of knowing about their agitation. “The by-pass is a must; we won’t allow highway expansion, which will further increase accident rates in the city,” he observed.
Curchorem correspondent adds: The Ganv Rakhon Manch (GRM) on Wednesday withdrew its indefinite hunger strike, which was started to oppose the proposed four-lane road from Tilamol to Sanguem and demand a bypass road.
GRM Convenor Atrey Kakodkar along with his supporters called on Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who reportedly assured the agitators to fulfill their demands.
“With regard to the four-lane road from Quepem via Curchorem to Sanguem, the chief minister assured that once the report is received from the land acquisition officer, Section 6 will be will be kept on hold at the government level till the grievances in the representative capacity is heard by the chief minister.”
Kakodkar served lemon water to Ajit Parulekar, who was on an indefinite hunger strike. A large crowd had gathered in front of the Curchorem police station, where GRM had started its indefinite hunger strike.
It may be recalled that on the first day, Parulekar had started the hunger strike, but after two days his health deteriorated and he had to be shifted to the government hospital at Cacora. He was then replaced by former Curchorem-Cacora chairman Paresh Bhende.
