TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Raia and Rachol villagers are bracing up for a sustained agitation to oppose the proposed Shiroda-Rachol bridge.
A meeting of elected representatives of both the Raia and Rachol panchayats along with Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco has decided to hold a public meeting at Raia on June 4 on the eve of government’s plan to open the tender for the controversial bridge over river Zuari. It was also decided to hold ward wise meetings in both villages to explain to people the government plan and to brace up for a long-drawn agitation against the bridge.
The meeting strongly condemned attempts by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to bulldoze his way with the bridge despite opposition from residents of Raia and Rachol. The elected representatives pointed out that they will stand by villagers against the proposed bridge as evident by the number of gram sabha resolutions adopted by both the panchayat bodies in recent times.
After the meeting, Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco said he will stand by the people of Raia and Rachol in opposing the bridge.
Rachol Sarpanch Joseph Vaz said that it is sad the CM wants to simply bulldoze with the bridge against wishes of the villagers. “The Regional Plan shows the bridge only on the Shiroda side of river Zuari,”
Joseph said.
