PORVORIM, JUNE 16
Residents of Porvorim are up in arms against the likely demolition of structures for the proposed widening of the National Highway No 17 and have formed the National Highway 17 (Porvorim) Action Committee to oppose the demolition of structures.
The office bearers elected are Fatima D’Sa (chairperson), Dr Ravi Chodankar and Anil Khaunte (vice chairpersons), Nitin Saraf (secretary), Sodhu Thakur and Sagar Jhavdekar (joint secretaries), Ross Vaze (treasurer), Atmaram Nadkarni and Digamber Kubal (legal advisors) and Dinesh Vaghela, Dr Suresh Shetye, Suresh Agrawal, Clive Lobo, Mario Vaz and Carlos Almeida (advisors).
Speaking to Herald, vice president and Spokesman of the Action Committee Dr Chodankar said they have submitted a memorandum to the chairman of the Estimates Committee of National Highway and South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha.
In the memorandum, the residents have placed their objections for the proposed acquisition of land for widening the highway to 45 mts. They have also submitted documents as proof that in Maharashtra, the widening of highway has been restricted to 25-30 mtrs as per demands of the general public.
“The stretch of road starting from the Mandovi Bridge to Porvorim Tisk is an age-old road passing through four villages, Penha-de-Franca, Pilerne, Salavador-do-Mundo and Socorro,” states the memorandum.
“This stretch of road has now become a commercial hub and proposed acquisition will cause huge loss to the people, who will loose their heritage and historical houses, establishments, hospitals, medical centers, churches and temples, besides rendering thousand of people jobless and homeless,” added the memorandum.
“Considering the development of Porvorim plateau, it will have a municipal council in the near future and no where in the country the national highway passes through the municipal area,” states the memorandum.
Dr Chodankar further said they were invited by MP Francisco Sardinha to present their views before the meeting convened by the committee of National Highway, which was held in a hotel at Utorda on June 14, 2010.
“Besides several MPs, National Highway Chief General Manager A K Mathur was present for the meeting. The senior officials of the State government, including Principal Chief Engineer A M Wachasuder, Chief Engineer J N Chimulkar also attended the meeting,” said Dr Chodankar.
The delegation of NH-17 Action Committee comprising Dr Chodankar, D’Sa, Nitin Saraf and Dinesh Vaghela presented their views before the committee and demanded that no structures from Porvorim should be demolished.
They also claimed that the government can widen the road upto 35 mts as they have proposed for Chinchinim and the government should not disturb the existing four-lane road in Porvorim, which should be retained as a State highway.
Instead, the government should plan the new National Highway passing behind the Legislative Assembly Complex joining the Green Park Hotel road as proposed initially by project consultant Wilbur Smith Associates Pvt Ltd, the delegation said.
“On hearing the views, Sardinha assured the delegation that he would place their views and demands before the Central Government and see that no structure are demolished in Porvorim,” said Dr Chodankar.
Dr Chodankar also stated that they have also met Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar, Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes, Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar and North Goa MP Shripad Naik, who all have assured full cooperation in the matter.
