NAVIN JHA
navin@herald-goa.com
VASCO: A year ago, officials of the State administration had assured residents of Katem-Baina that the Water Resources Department (WRD) would build a kilometer-long retaining concrete wall from Katem-Baina shore to Ravindra Bhawan as a permanent solution to the sand erosion and protect the lives and properties of residents close to the Baina shore.
A year later, the residents face the same threat that had haunted them last year, and the concerned authorities are reading last year’s script of giving the same assurances. The upset residents said that the State administration that is prompt in evicting them gives them no relief.
“We don’t think the administration is serious in what they promised us. If the process of providing relief takes so long then we believe the assurance was given only to fool us,” a Katem-Baina resident said.
On June 13, 2014, the sea level at Katem, Baina rose to dangerous levels with water almost entering structures on the beach. Five families that resided close to the waters were forced to vacate. This was brought to the notice of Mormugao Taluka Disaster Management Authority and the very next day, the department officials inspected the area and then issued notices to people residing near the beach.
“Last year officials had provided us empty bags and had asked us to fill the bags and construct a protection wall with it to avoid further erosion. We obeyed, but we were waiting for permanent relief with the hope that the government would do it on priority but all promises were broken and as a result we are facing the same threat,” said Rukma Tandel, a resident of Katem-Baina.
Tandel and 33 others have been identified by the State administration to be evicted and to avoid this have been working day and night using their own money to build another protection wall of sand bags as last year bags have been washed away.
