Team Herald
MARGAO: People of Benaulim are up in arms to protect the environment and ecology and they have resolved to file a separate petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Now ‘Farmers Association’ will fight the legal battle demanding Western Bypass on stilts.
This will be a second such petition to be filed before the NGT after social activist Royla Fernandes.
Raque Fernandes, a Benaulim local said they have already taken the legal advice from one of the top-most lawyers of Goa. They are expecting legal guidance from the Norma Alvares of ‘Goa Foundation’.
“Yes, we want to protect our environment and ecology from the destruction due to the western bypass project, if not built on stilts. Farmers association from Benaulim, besides others, will approach the NGT. At the same time we have decided to take guidance from the environmentalist Norma Alvares before filing the petition,” said Fernandes.
Reportedly, people of Benaulim, besides Seraulim and Mungul, have been fighting for the Western Bypass on stilts for the last several years. Upon the directions of NGT a 10-members committee had suggested 1.2 kilometres of western bypass on stilts instead of 275 kilometres.
Recently Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant had also agreed to go ahead with the new suggestion. However, people and mostly farmers from Benaulim are demanding a full stretch of 275 kilometres on stilts in order to protect the environment.
Public Works Department Minister Nilesh Cabral is on the record that he will suggest the 10-members committee to re-think, and find a solution, if possible to build the remaining portion on stilts.
