The monsoon is barely a month away, but there is still no sign of re-starting the work of strengthening the retaining wall beneath the Xavier Retreat House, Baga, which was allegedly damaged by workers hired by the Water Resources Department.
Work on the retaining wall in the Jesuit Community’s private property, on the other hand, is underway following its damage and removal allegedly at the behest of the Arpora-Nagoa panch.
The Water Resources Department, headed by Water Resources Minister Dayanand Mandrekar, is unperturbed about the threat to the historical retreat centre at Baga. Besides removing the rocks and extracting sand, the retaining wall needs to return to its original shape much before the monsoons, or else there could be a tragedy.
While the WRD continues to neglect the wall in spite of representations to Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and the Water Resources Department, there have been political transfers for criticizing or passing orders against the perpetrators of the crime. Deputy Collector and SDM, Mapusa Pundalik V Khorjuekar was unceremoniously transferred to Bicholim at the behest of a BJP Minister.
Khorjuekar had recently pronounced an order dated April 23, 2015 that stated: “The respondent Shri Cleophas Fernandes, r/o Baga, Arpora is hereby directed that the land in Survey No 250/1 of village Calangute of Bardez taluka, in which he has illegally constructed the pucca road and illegally carried out hill cutting, be restored to its original position within a period of fifteen days from passing of this order, failing which the Mamlatdar of Bardez is to execute the present order and recover the cost incurred from the respondent, Shri Cleophas Fernandes as an arrears of land revenue.”
He had also issued a notice for forfeiting the bond of Rs 20,000 given while applying for bail.
“The Water Resources Department allegedly had plans to construct a retaining wall right across the Xavier Retreat House and towards Anjuna by destroying the rocks, which are stable for ages together. Our immediate concern, however, is to save the Xavier Retreat House from dangers of collapse due to onset of monsoon by stabilizing the retaining wall, but the perpetrator of the crime should not be let off,” said Anna D’Mello.
The Director of XRH Fr Ronnie D’Souza also expressed concern about the stability of the retaining wall and advised politicians not to politicize the issue.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said, “The Minister for Water Resources and Panchayats, Dayanand Mandrekar summoned the Dy Collector Pundalik V Khorjuekar, who was then taken to task for his innocent views or judgment in the hill cutting episode by Arpora-Nagoa panch Cleophas Fernandes. It is a shame that Pundalik was unceremoniously shunted to a faraway destination for siding with the people for justice to the fathers of the Jesuit community.”
He added, “It is surprising that politicians like Dayanand Mandrekar are backing the illegal hill cutting by the Arpora-Nagoa panch, while a senior NCP leader and former panch of Arpora-Nagoa Salim Sayyed is supporting the panch’s illegalities. A judicial probe as demanded by NCP spokesperson Trajano D’Mello will bring out the truth.
