VELSAO: With the rest of Goa still enjoying the festive season, Velsao villagers suffered moments of heartache and anxiety as they faced, what they called “another onslaught” from the Railway authorities who were carrying out double tracking work in front of their houses.
However, the heavy earthmoving machinery of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), which the locals allege had illegally trespassed into private property, was chased away by agitated villagers of Velsao, Pale, Cuelim, Arossim and Cansaulim and members of Goencho Ekvott (GE). RVNL is executing the double-tracking project for South Western Railway.
As has become a common occurrence in these disputes between the locals and RVNL, the agency carrying out the double tracking work for South Western Railway (SWR), the villagers have questioned why the Railway authorities are not showing documents to prove that they own the land.
The locals were particularly upset after RVNL cleared the undergrowth opposite the residence of senior citizens Michael and Olga D’Souza and stacked concrete boundary posts in the area with the intent of barricading the railway route thus depriving them of the only traditional access available to their residences.
“RVNL’s labour trespassed into the private property at Primeirovaddo, Velsao with heavy earthmoving machinery, without the consent of the owners. There is no land acquisition out here, despite that RVNL thinks that they can just enter private properties and do as they like. There is simmering anger in the villages, and the authorities themselves will be solely responsible for any untoward incidents if such blatant violations are repeated by RVNL/SWR,” warned GE founder Orville Dourado Rodrigues.
It may be recalled that Herald had highlighted the plight of the D’Souza family, which includes Michael’s brother, another senior citizen named Anthony, who live next to tracks in their ancestral house at Primeiro Vaddo.
There are visible cracks all over their house, right from the compound wall out front to the kitchen inside. The trio can’t get sleep at night or have peaceful days due to the constant vibrations from the numerous coal-laden wagons that pass near their houses and invariably drop coal pieces on their property on a regular basis.
Incidentally, earlier this month, after GE and locals complained about natural vegetation and trees being cut, the Forest Department had carried out an inspection of the area, following which the work had been temporarily stopped.
Locals have also been agitating about the destruction of age-old stormwater drains and the blocking of the traditional right of way. They have repeatedly alleged that their ancestral properties are being encroached upon. There has also been an appeal made to the Velsao Village Panchayat to issue a stop-work order to RVNL.
