protests against NH17 widening in Salcete

MARGAO, NOV 14
The agitation against the proposed NH-17 widening has surfaced in Salcete taluka. While residents of Nuvem and Verna took to the streets at Dongorim opposing the highway, the village panchayat of Navelim in PWD Minister Churchill Alemao’s home constituency opposed the highway alignment passing through the villages of Navelim and Telaulim. Armed with placards and banners, agitated residents of Nuvem and Verna assembled at Dongorim and opposed the proposed highway alignment through the water bodies.
Led by Nuvem Zilla Panchayat member, Wilfred D’Sa, the protestors warned the government to respect the sentiments of the people or face their wrath.
“For the last one year and half, we have been making rounds of the PWD Office and other Minister for a copy of a plan, but till date the plan is not made public by the authorities”, lamented D’Sa.
He said the authorities have told them that the proposed highway would be passing through the River Sal at Nuvem, raising apprehensions that the eco sensitive zones in the villages of Nuvem, Verna and Nagoa would be severely affected if the highway is passed as per this alignment. “These water bodies help in water conservation in these villages. The wells would go dry if these rich natural resources are destroyed to make way for the highway”, he asserted.
Strongly opposing the highway, D’Sa wondered why the government is planning to take the highway through the water bodies and fields when land is already acquired long ago for the highway. Another protestor, a science teacher by profession, warned the government that the villagers of Nuvem and Verna would take the agitation to its logical conclusion till the project is scrapped..
Saying the highway would divide the villages and destroy the rich natural habitat, she said the government decision to take the highway by the side of River Sal would destroy the natural habitat.
“If the government seriously think of the environment, they should practice the same and scrap the project”, she said, adding that it is not just the question of saving the houses of people, but the project would affect the whole of Goa. “This highway alignment passing through Goa is just a corridor for the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The project will in no way benefit the people of Goa”, she added. The protestors carried placards conveying message loud and clear that the highway project is disastrous for the state.
At Navelim village, the gram sabha held on Sunday opposed the highway once again. A resolution tabled by Sidharth Karapurkar stated that the highway would affect the internal roads leading to Sinquetim and Telaulim and would result on acquisition of land for road diversions.
The gram sabha members lamented that the PWD authorities have till date not addressed their concerns and asked Sarpanch Paul Pereira to send reminders to the PWD department on a priority basis.
 “At the last meeting, the gram sabha had opposed the highway. We again reiterated our opposition to the highway project at today’s meeting”, Karapurkar asserted.