Residents of Curtorim and Raia stop trucks from proceeding to Nuvem bypass with excavated mud
TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: A day after its resumption, transportation of mud from the Sonsodo waste dumping site came to an abrupt halt after agitated residents of Raia and Curtorim took to the streets on Thursday morning, stopping the mud laden trucks on the road.
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, who joined the residents during discussions with DySP Mohan Naik, warned the BJP government not to bulldoze its way with the hill cutting and mud transportation from Sonsodo, threatening to close down the entire Curtorim-Margao road.
Trouble arose when the residents came on the Curtorim-Margao road adjoining the Sonsodo dump yard and stopped the trucks from proceeding to the Nuvem bypass with the excavated mud. Activist Raju Aiyar told the media that though the residents had been running from pillar to post since the last one week, demanding to know the permissions granted for hill cutting, none of the authorities had deemed fit to show them the necessary permissions. “We have stopped the trucks transporting mud to highlight the fact that excavation of mud is undertaken without permissions or the cutting has gone beyond the permissible limits,” Raju said.
Even as the transportation came to a complete halt, DySP Mohan Naik called a joint meeting with the agitating residents and Fomento Green officials in a bid to resolve the situation. Curtorim MLA Regianldo Lourenco, who joined the residents, told DySP Naik not to pay heed to any magisterial order granting police protection for the mud transportation. “You can very well tell the District Magistrate and the government that order giving police protection for the transportation cannot be implemented fearing law and order problem,” Reginaldo told DySP Naik. Even as DySP Naik sought to know from Reginaldo whether he is giving any order to him on the matter, the Curtorim MLA replied in the negative, but warned that the villagers will block all traffic if the government tried to bulldoze its way with the transportation.
Later, Reginaldo told waiting media persons that the BJP government’s “dadagiri” will not be tolerated by the villagers of Raia and Curtorim. “It is in the interest of the administration and Fomento that they stop the mud excavation and transportation. Don’t push me to open my mouth. I know the irregularities being carried out at Sonsodo,” he asserted.
