Team Herald
MARGAO: In the aftermath of the landslides at Kerya in Khandepar, which were caused by haphazard hill cutting, it appears that the administration is yet to take the issue of such disasters seriously.
At the north end of the Verna plateau along the National Highway, the road is being expanded by cutting a large portion of the slope. The near vertical cut has exposed the soft material underneath the hard literate surface. This soft material is saturated with water due to the rains and is gradually eroding away leaving behind a cave-like formation. The hard laterite slab appears to be suspended without any support underneath. This has occurred at many places on that stretch of road.
On Monday, Herald contacted PWD Chief Engineer’s office who referred us to Division 6 of the PWD in Fatorda. The official in Division 6 said he was not authorised to speak to the press but he did inform that the slope has to be stabilised as per the design of the contractor which must be verified by the consultant. He informed that the consultant was appointed by the contractor. For further information, Herald was asked to contact the designated liaison officer, who did not pick up a phone call.
Deputy Collector Roshelle Fernandes, who is in charge of Disaster Management in South Goa said that she spoke with the PWD and they are looking into it.
On Monday, Herald had sent a questionnaire to PWD Chief Engineer in-charge of National Highway via email, asking them whether they were monitoring the Verna hill cutting and whether a disaster management plan was in place. However, no response was received for the questionnaire.
Herald had also contacted local MLA Alina Saldana, who gave an assurance that she would inquire into the matter. On Thursday, she sent a letter to Rajendra Kamat, Executive Engineer of PWD Division XIV, highlighting the erosion of the soil at the base of the slope.
“There is a danger that this mud and clay layers may get eroded due to monsoon flowing waters thereby giving scope to landslides, of the type witnessed in Ponda,” the letter stated. She made an urgent request to the official to carry out a site inspection to determine whether the terracing of the hill was necessary to avoid a mishap in the future.
On Thursday Alina confirmed to Herald that a little section of the slope has given way. The executive engineer had informed her that a retaining wall would be constructed thought-out. Upon her insistence to take immediate action, the executive engineer assured her that they would build fence around the area.
Interestingly, when Herald has spoken to a PWD official earlier this week, he spoke of the implementation of the slope stabilisation plan but made no mention of a retaining wall. Herald has not been able to confirm whether the retaining wall was a part of the slope stabilisation plan or is it a project that is outside of the original scope of the plan, who will have to pay for it and whether the soil testing done before the cutting of the hill and even the slope stabilisation plan was flawed.
In the case of Kandepar and Curti landslide, the hills were cut in order to expand the highway. This exposed the clay material underneath the hard rock, which got saturated due to incessant rains, eventually was unable to support the earth above slid out. The condition of the hill in Verna is similar to the hill in Kandepar and Curti. A landslide is likely to occur at Verna, which won’t just threaten lives but may affect the traffic between Panjim and Margao and even bring it to a standstill, unless the authorities take preventing actions and direct the contractor to reduce and stabilise the slope.
