Team Herald
VASCO: The villagers of Velsao-Pale on Monday accused the railway authorities of burying their traditional storm water drains while constructing a retaining wall in the village.
A large number of villagers gathered at the site and confronted the South Western Railway (SWR) authorities for burying their storm water drains. However, the Verna police rushed to the spot and pacified the agitated villagers.
NGO Goencho Ekvott founder member Orville Dourado said that the villagers are opposed to the ongoing work by railways and have now decided to remain united and not to allow the double tracking works. He said that the traditional access to some residences, storm water drains and a water body have been buried by the railways. “The villagers used to catch fish in the water body, which was like a small lake during the monsoon,” he added.
Dourado alleged that no environment impact assessment (EIA) study was carried out for the Kulem to Vasco-da-Gama railway route and that despite it being a special project, the works are undertaken in small parts.
