Team Herald
VALPOI: Nagargao locals on Thursday gathered in large number near the village river and objected to the ongoing bandhara construction work, which they claimed will completely destroy the agricultural fields and other plantations in Aambedem and Dhave as well.
The locals complained that they will face acute water shortage problem in the village once the bandhara is completed. The villagers accused the Nagargao Village Panchayat of keeping them in the dark by not informing them about the bandhara project.
The locals said no demand for the construction of bandhara was made at the gram sabha. The locals said, “We want to know who passed the resolution with regards to this unwanted project.”
“The panchayat kept us in the dark with regard to the project and is involved in several scams. We raised our voice against the panchayat on various occasions but in vain,” the villagers claimed.
“The construction of bandhara project is going on without the consent of the villagers. It shows that the panchayat is involved in a scam. We totally oppose the bandhara construction along the river as it will destroy our agricultural fields and block the natural flow of the river. We are using the river water for agriculture and for domestic purpose whenever there is a water shortage in our village,” a villager said.
“Our panchas have brought this project in our village to destroy us. The river in Nagargao is a lifeline of us. We will not allow the panchayat to destroy it. We will stop the bandhara construction work,” another villager warned.
“I don’t know who have passed the resolution at the gram sabha for this project along the river,” said panch Laxmi Harwalkar. The Valpoi Irrigation Department officials were present at the site but they refused to comment on the issue.
