CUNCOLIM: The Cuncolim Municipal Council on Saturday filled up the open well on the ground with mud, thereby complying with South Goa Collector’s order.
It may be recalled that the council had on February 28, demolished a wall around the illegal well dug on the grazing land outside the Cuncolim Industrial Estate as it ran into a controversy after locals protested and demanded its closure.
The Collector who heads the Disaster Management Committee directed the Cuncolim Municipal Chief Officer to fill up the dangerous well before the monsoon to prevent cattle and the general public from falling into it.
Municipal Chief Officer John Fernandes, Engineer Udhay Dessai and Inspector Balso Dessai were present at the site along with the Junior Engineer Satendra Faldessai, Assistant Engineer Melita Fernandes and Superviser Antonio Menezes from the Water Resources Department (WRD).
“We have jurisdiction only over what is above the land and that is why we demolished the wall around the well,” said Chief Officer John Fernandes when asked why they had to wait for the Collector’s order to cover the well.
It may be recalled that the WRD had earlier confiscated the water pumping set and other items, but without a barricade the well continued to pose a threat in the absence of barricades.
Incidentally, Shaba Dessai as President of Sociedade Agricola dos Gauncares de Cuncolim e Veroda had written to the Collector on March 21, 2024 and Aviraj Dessai who had complained about the illegal well had also written to the Collector on April 4, 2024 about the danger this open well posed.
However, the Collector took cognisance of the report published in O Heraldo dated May 26, 2024 to order Cuncolim Municipal Council to fill up the well.
