Team Herald
VASCO: The villagers of Arossim on Monday protested against destruction of sand dunes and filling up of the nullah in the area and gave seven days time to the authorities concerned to act on their complaint and restore the sand dunes.
The villagers, who were led by social activist Simon D’Souza and ward panchayat member Macklina Cardozo Rodrigues, demanded that the nullah be cleared failing which they threatened to resort to hunger strike or take legal recourse.
D’Souza said that a sand dune was destroyed using an excavator while, the traditional nullah was blocked about a month back. He said that the villagers had caught red-handed the person who was blocking the nullah and he was later handed over to the Verna police, who also had seized the excavator.
D’Souza informed that the Arossim villagers had written to all the departments concerned including the Cansaulim-Arossism-Cuelim Village Panchayat, local MLA and the Environment Minister demanding immediate action into the matter. But till date nothing has happened, he said demanding immediate restoration of the damaged sand dune and to get the traditional nullah opened.
The villagers have also written to the South Goa Collector requesting to demarcate all the existing water bodies and traditional drainages in the village as per the order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
To a question, D’Souza said that the villagers will decide their next course of action if the authorities fail to act within seven days.
Ward member Macklina Cardozo Rodrigues said that she will raise the matter during the next panchayat meeting. She said that when she visited the site she noticed some persons cutting sand dunes and refusing to stop the work. She said that the work was carried out without informing the village panchayat and demanded that the sand dune be restored.
