If you thought that the concession by State Govt to build the Western bypass on stilts at Mungul/Seraulim would save the fields of Benaulim or the livelihoods of farmers and prevent flooding, well think again. The farmlands and green areas are laid waste with the dumping of tonnes of red mud and waste, building of embankments, and boring for the flyover pillars. As a result, the fields of Benaulim will be totally devastated, the farmers will not be able to cultivate the kharif and rabi crops and this dumping of mud is expected to lead to massive flooding. People say this is ‘Ecocide’ in the name of development.
According to a petition filed with National Green Tribunal by civil society members, neither the PWD nor the contractor, have obtained relevant permission from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority or the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority, the TCP or the Benaulim Panchayat before the commencement of the work. Infact the subsoil has turned toxic due to the use of recycled material used for filling.
