MARGAO: In a massive show of strength, villagers of Arossim gathered around the historic St Lawrence Chapel for the second consecutive evening, to protest the alleged blockage of storm water drains across the existing railway tracks that will be caused with the underpass which is coming up.
The situation escalated on Thursday night when a large number of police personnel, including those from Vasco police station, also gathered at the site while the locals stood firm and remained present opposite the Chapel till late night.
It culminated in a peaceful stand-off between the villagers and the police, with the villagers asserting that they will continue to oppose the doubling of the railway tracks for coal transportation through their village.
Earlier in the evening, the police called upon the Mormugao Mamlatdar to intervene. He patiently heard the grievances of the locals who had shown how some of the old cross water drains had allegedly been damaged by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). They had also questioned the RVNL personnel at the site about this and asked who will be held responsible if there is flooding in the village and if water enters their houses, which are already affected due to its proximity to the tracks.
The Mamlatadar tried his best to pass on the message that the casing of the embankment built by RVNL will be opened up the next day to prove to the public that there was no blockage of the storm water drain which empties into the tributary of the River Sal and exits at Mollo, Pale into the Arabian Sea.
However, the local residents stuck to their argument that damage had been done and also conveyed that they don’t trust the administration given what has happened in the past. They pointed out that their demands for the railways to show what land ownership documents they have, had not been entertained either.
Hence, they have decided not to back off until the community land is restored back into its original position.
