“We have lost our land and house at the time of construction of Salaulim dam and on the contrary we are not getting proper water to drink and also for agriculture”. This is the voice we heard when we attempted to put our ear to the ground at the Curdi Village of Sanguem.
Sarpanch of the local village of Vadem Curdi Sanjog Pai, while speaking to Herald, said that even mobile connectivity is also a major problem in the village.
Villager Ajay Kurdikar said, “Agriculture is the main source of income of Curdi village area. We fall in the range of Western Ghats, it is full of rich flora and fauna, still there is a lot of land which needs to be brought under cultivation,” explained Kurdikar.
The panchayat has a strong bond with the village of Curdi and the villagers and the officials believe that there are many ideas that can be brought to reality. “In my panchayat there are many places where we can develop eco tourism and it will help the locals get job opportunities,” said Sarpanch Sanjog Pai.
In summer lot of people visit the Curdi village which is otherwise submerged under the Salaulim Dam water basin.
“We have given up our lands and houses for supply of water for most parts of Goa. But now we are suffering for the sacrifices we did for our brethren in Goa,” said villager Milan Kurdikar.
Villagers said that even after losing the land so many households from Sanguem don’t get water. Several villagers are also still waiting for compensation promised after they sacrificed their houses and land.
The people particularly complain of the Governments who are unwilling to help the poor and the marginalised. A local, Prajyot Kurdikar, vented out his frustration to Herald and informed that “all the MLAs of Sanguem have conveniently ignored the plight of the villagers who lost their land and await compensation.”
An old woman in her 80’s said: “My wish is to see happy faces of all the people who lost their lands for the dam”.
