Devendra Gaonkar
devendra@herald-goa.com
VALPOI: Unwanted shrubs, bushes and small trees that have grown in the middle of the drying Velus river in Velus village, block the flow of water during the monsoon season, which results in flooding and inundation of nearby areas, destroying agriculture lands, crops and affecting some houses of villagers for the past few years.
As the situation has been repeated every years, the villagers have demanded that the Water Resources Department, Valpoi should clean the area and cut the bushes and small trees which have grown in the middle of the river, so that the river flows without any obstruction.
The bushes block the flow of water and flood our homes during the monsoon season and destroy our agriculture crops.
Besides, it also results in landslides at various places, a villager, Madu Gaonkar said.
The flooding occurs during the monsoons specially from June to September and carry soil away from our farming land.
Floods can also contaminate the drinking water and lead to diseases, another villager Shivaji Gaonkar points out.
We have demanded that the Water Resources department, Valpoi cut the small trees and shrubs before the monsoon begin, urged Ramchandra Gaonkar, who lives in the same village.
With barely few months before the onset of monssons, the villagers are apprehensive and want the department to ensure that they carry out the cleaning operation as soon as possible.
