TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Apprehending flooding of the village during the monsoon, activists and residents of Benaulim have cried foul over a land filling at Tollebandh, besides indiscriminate dumping of waste in the low lying fields.
They have demanded immediate action by the local panchayat and other authorities, fearing large scale flooding of the village in the wake of reclamation of the low lying fields close to River Sal.
Officials of the Goa State Pollution Control Board and the Benaulim Panchayat conducted inspection of the land filling site as well as a residential colony following complaints of discharge of sewage water in the River Sal. GSPCB officials also inspected a scrap yard in the vicinity, with officials saying they will compile a report on the inspection and submit the report to the higher authorities for action.
A resident Savio Gomes to the media after the inspection that he has been fighting against the land filling activity since 2006 and blamed the authorities for turning a blind eye to the illegalities.
Sarpanch Royla Fernandes told the residents that the Panchayat would write a letter to the district Collector, South to initiate action against the land filling. She said the Panchayat would also draw attention of the local MLA Caitu Silva on the issue, saying the entire village is facing the danger of flooding in the coming monsoon.
