MARGAO: Fed up with the recurrent flooding of their roads during the monsoon every
year, the residents of Arlem have now demanded a permanent solution to the
problem, threatening to take to the streets if their demands are not met.
The death of 71- year old Pedro
Antonio Gauncar, who drowned in a storm water drain on Tuesday night, seems to
have spurred locals into action. Several youth were seen wading through the
streets, that resembled muddy rivers, reaching out to help motorists and
commuters caught in the water.
With no timely help from
authorities, the youth managed to divert traffic, and took the initiative to
clear the drains choked with garbage. Later on, the village Panchayat of Raia
joined the clean-up operation with labourers and machinery. Citizens took the
initiative to inform Salcete Mamlatdar Lakshmikant Dessai, and Police Inspector
(Traffic Cell), Margao, Guatam Salunke, about the flood-like situation, and it
was only then that the traffic police rushed to the site with barricades.
Speaking to Herald, locals alleged
that the authorities were grossly negligent, as they had failed to desilt and
clear out nullahs and drains ahead of the monsoon.
Shockingly, the Water Resources Department is still waiting for
administrative approval to issue the tender to perform desilting of the nullah
near the Pepsi junction, which is believed to be the major cause for the
flooding. “We received the proposal for desilting the nullah only a few months
ago. An estimate has been prepared. We are waiting for approval to issue the
tender for the job,” WRD junior engineer Ashank Gaunkar told Herald.
The Public Works Department was recently allotted a measly
budget of Rs 35,000 to clean the drains in the area, which locals say has not
been done thoroughly.
“The concerned authorities and political leaders need to come up
with a proper plan to resolve this issue. People have lost their patience and
will be forced to agitate”, warned Rosario Colaco, one of the young men seen
helping motorists on Friday.
Curtorim MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco alleged that the
hill-cutting activities at Arlem was creating a major problem as water from the
hilltop, along with mud, flows down into the gutters and nullahs. “We had done
a major clean-up drive of the drains here, just a few years back, but it did
not help resolve the flooding issue. The traditional nullahs also need to be
cleaned,,” he said.
