ASSONORA: Goencho Avaaz has alleged that construction debris from the site of an upcoming hotel project by Club Mahindra has found its way into Assonora River due to flooding caused by incessant rains in the last few days.  

Holding the government responsible for the incident, co-convenor of Goencho Avaaz Swapnesh Sherlekar alleged that the government committed a huge blunder by granting permission to such a large project in a highly eco-sensitive area right adjacent to the Assonora River. 

Pointing out that water from Assonora River is supplied to the entire Bardez taluka through the 92 MLD Water Treatment Plant at Assonora, he said even a single incident of water contamination or pollution caused to this river would impact the people of entire Bardez taluka. 

Swapnesh informed that on Friday he complained to Bardez Mamlatdar Laxmikant Kuttikar, via phone, about the washing away of construction debris and orange mud from the Mahindra project site into the Assonora River. 

“The mamlatdar is in-charge of disaster management in this area, but is reluctant to inspect the site. This goes on to show that the authorities committed a blunder by granting permission to the project and now they are hesitating to come on record and hence they did not carry out an inspection,” Sherlekar said.

“However, he has assured us to get the site inspected through the talathi in a couple of days,” he added.

When contacted via phone, Mamlatdar Kuttikar confirmed that the water level increased in Moitem, Assonora.

“Due to the closure of bandhara doors, flooding occurred in the said area. The PWD engineer and I visited the site and opened the doors with the help of a JCB and got the situation under control,” he informed.

When contacted, Bala Murugan, the head of project operations of Mahindra Group, denied that there was construction debris at the site and the same found its way into the river due to flooding. “The entire project is barricaded,” he said.

“During the monsoon the water level increases and we are aware of that but our boundary is well protected. We have all the necessary approvals for construction in place,” he informed.