MARGAO: Tense moments prevailed at the Navelim highway construction site on Monday after locals demanded that the work be stopped citing reasons that some land owners did not receive any compensation.
Navelkars later met Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who has assured to provide a solution to the same.
The Deputy Collector, Police and the Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro reached the site. The MLA demanded that the people’s doubts be cleared first before restarting the work.
Earlier, the locals noticed the mud laden trucks at the highway work site. Three to four families have claimed that their land has been taken and that they have not been paid any compensation. Some also claimed that they are the tenants and their landlords have taken the money, while some alleged that money has been paid to some unknown persons.
The PWD Executive Engineer Prakash Palandikar said, “There are standing instructions to start work and we will start work with police protection. We are waiting for the Chief Minister’s instructions.”
Deputy Collector Uday Prabhudessai said, “The compensation has been given and the award has been given to the landlord and the tenants are demanding compensation now. We can’t stop the PWD work.”
