Team Herald
PONDA: Braving a large police force, the residents of Undir in Bandora panchayat on Thursday staged a dharna on Undir-Agapur road to stop a JCB machine from digging a ditch for laying sewerage lines.
The Undir residents have been protesting against construction of Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) in their locality.
The locals verbally clashed with police officials who had come to provide security for road digging. Later, their women folk sat on the road blocking the JCB machine from digging a ditch.
The villagers said that they have challenged the issuance of construction licence for the STP before the Director of Panchayat; the matter would come for hearing on January 22 and till then the police should not interfere in the matter.
DYSP Mahesh Gaonkar warned that if they stopped the government approved work, they would have to face legal action and even face lathicharge. However, the villagers retorted saying they were ready face lathicharge and even ready to give their lives in their struggle against the STP in their locality. With the villagers standing their ground, the JCB machine finally left the site at around 5.30 pm.
The police had deployed 60 personnel to control the situation; they were led by DySP Mahesh Gaonkar, with the assistances of PI Harish Marcaikar and three PSIs.
On the occasion, protest leader Guru Naik warned that the villagers would not tolerate dictatorship.
The villagers clarified that they are not against STP but it should not be built in their locality; it should be shifted to any other place by the PWD Minister Sudin Davlikar who is also the local MLA.
They fear that an STP in Undir would not only cause stench but also destroy the ecology, as the STP site falls in eco-sensitive zone.
Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, social workers Swati Kerkar and Ashwinkumar Naik had come to the site of dharna to support the villagers.
Speaking to reporters, Reginaldo said he would raise the STP issue in Assembly. He said that the chief minister and PWD minister should visit the village and listen to the sentiments of the residents.
After inspecting the STP site, Reginaldo said that the place was not feasible for building such a plant.
He also alleged that the government is constructing around 30 metre wide road at Undir near STP to facilitate coal transportation facility near Zuvari River. He said he would continue to strongly oppose river nationalisation and coal transportation in Goa.
