QUEPEM: Several families residing at Navowado-Sulcorna in Sanguem are gripped by fear due to flowing of slurry from hills for the last two days even as five families were evacuated to a safer place on Friday.
The slurry that is coming from a tunnel like formation is flowing into nearby houses posing a threat to about 30 houses located below. They could face danger if slurry continues to flow.
On getting the information, Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai rushed to the spot, expressed his displeasure over lukewarm response from the authorities to the grave situation. He immediately contacted the South Goa Collector and also alerted the South Goa Disaster Management Authority. By now the authorities would have been ready and should have sent a geologist and other experts to find the cause, he said.
According to Phal Dessai, it appears to be slurry from a manganese mine on the hillock and this phenomenon is likely to be connected with it. The families of 30 houses need to be evacuated if there is any possibility of landslide. He also ensured that the five families were immediately evacuated to a safer place as precautionary measure.
After inspecting the site, the Minister demanded that the Directorate of Mines and Geology should immediately visit the site and take appropriate measures and ensure safety to the people.
Curchorem Fire Station Officer (SFO) Damodar Zambauliker, who rushed to the site cautioned that it could pose a threat to the houses if slurry continues flowing down.
Chinaiya Dodamni, a villager said that slurry along with water is flowing since Thursday unabated at Sulcorna even as incessant rains had subsided. He said that it was not sure whether it is slurry from mining pits but there are apprehensions in the minds of the villagers.
The locals too expressed their fear stating that the situation had become more dangerous due to either cloud burst or continuous flowing of slurry from the hills even as there was no rain. They demanded that the Disaster Management Authority should take measures to avoid any eventuality.
