VASCO: It was a usual Thursday morning and the menfolk had left for work while the women were preparing the meal when the shocker came in the form of GCZMA’s final eviction-cum-demolition order to 100 occupants. For them, the countdown has begun.

“I had no clue that we would receive such a beamer with a deadline. I was about to cook food when some officers came to my house and gave me a bundle of papers and directed me to tell my husband that we have to evict within 15 days otherwise they would come and demolish out hutment. Now, I don’t know what to do as we would be left homeless in a few days time,” said a woman in chocked voice whose house is near the sewage plant at Kattem Baina.

Ironically, these poor residents from Katem Baina had hoped (against hope) that the new government would try to find out a solution to the issue with regards to their structures, however, they were left upset and under complete distress when they were served with the order to demolish their houses and that too without any reha plan which they along with other fishing community from Mormugao have been demanding.

“It is sad that even the new government did not consider our case and they have no plans for our rehbilitation. Now, we are left to fend for ourselves. With nowhere to go, and no meny to afford rented premises, we are bewildered with so many questions. Were we needed till the ballot were counted and now we are nobody’s people,” asked another woman with tears.