MARGAO: Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro has claimed that the government has agreed in principle to go for stilts for the construction of Western Bypass over Saipem lake in Navelim.
Briefing the press in Margao, Faleiro informed that he had a meeting with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and where he got him agree for stilts at Navelim. Faleiro also claimed that the chief minister has asked the execution agencies to build new houses for the people losing them at Navelim.
“The government has agreed to and will construct houses equivalent to the houses the affected had earlier and hand them over by March 31, 2018, and till then the work here will be stopped. The chief minister has however has committed to get the houses constructed and handed over before Christmas,” Faleiro said.
Speaking on the Saipem Lake Faleiro said, “Engineers say it’s manmade but my note to the chief minister says that it is a catchment area, for most of Margao during rain but which has been polluted with sewage and garbage coming to that place. The chief minister said that the STP will be completed in six months and lake will be restored.”
“Rs 180 crore will be the additional expenditure for the part on stilts over Saipem lake but we have to protect this lake,” the Navelim MLA said.
Throwing light on some history of the road land acquisition, the former chief minister said, “This bypass road was projected and earmarked in 1970 and was shown on the plan. Eastern and Western bypasses were the roads. Eastern bypass work is completed till Ravanfond and western bypass work is ongoing.”
“On my first meeting with CM on 27th along with affected owners of land and properties, I was informed that it is not going to create environmental issues. We had arrived at an understanding and were told that the road passing over Saipem will be over stilts,” Faleiro said.
The Navelim MLA, however, has not received any concrete assurance from the work execution agency on the relief to the people as well as Saipem lake and all depends on a assurance of the chief minister.
