Team Herald
MARGAO: Villagers of Guirdolim are aghast at the “rampant” manner in which the Railways have “encroached” on public property and even a water body without seeking permission from anybody to prepare the land for laying the second track of railway line.
It may be recalled that the railways have contracted the work of laying a second track from Margao to the border of Goa and work had started on this project last year. In fact, last year the Chandor-Cavorim panchayat had raised serious objections against the bandh erected across River Kushawati to lay the pillars for constructing the bridge across the river.
Continuing with the work, the contractor has now encroached upon Comunidade property and covered quite a portion of the Macazana lake to such an extent that it is even threatening to engulf the age old sluice gate that used to be closed earlier to let fish breed in the lake.
Nearer to the old Chandor railway station, the widening work is threatening to totally burry the stream that called Oll in local language where earlier the washerwomen from the ward used to wash clothes.
In fact during monsoons water gushes down this stream this unfortunately now dries up in the summer. Washerwomen from the ward that used to be earlier called “Dhobi wado” used to wash their clothes in the water of this stream.
Local panchayat member Jose Antao was aghast with the development when it came to his notice last month and has now called for a thorough inspection on 6th May where officials of the Railways are asked to be present with their plans to explain to the people what exactly will happen in the area.
“In my childhood I remember how much water used to be here and how the water used to gush down and I wonder what will happen in future particularly during monsoons as the natural path of the water will be buried,” said Jose.
