Team Herald
PONDA: Locals are upset that the village has earned a bad reputation over the recent deaths of two Vasco youth reported in the “deadly” Kodar River.
It may be recalled hat Ponda fire brigade personnel on Sunday retrieved the bodies of the two youth — Rahul Suryavanshi (20) and Pravinkumar Pal (20), both residents of Vasco who got drowned in the Kodar River at Khandepar. Ponda Police conducted panchanama and after the post-mortem in Goa Medical College, the bodies were handed over to their relatives for final rites.
According to locals, they had submitted a memorandum to forest and agriculture departments and Ponda Police demanding a ban on bathing in the Kodar river due to rise in deaths due to drowning but their requests fell on deaf ears.
The locals have further stated that the visitors drink liquor while bathing, later break the bottles in the river and added that some visitors sustained injuries while venturing into the river for bath.
They alleged that these visitors drive their vehicles in a rash and negligent manner along the main road and that too under the influence of alcohol.
Prasad Prabugaonkar, a panch says, “It’s been 12 years we have been demanding a ban on bathing in the Kodar River. We have submitted a memorandum to government authorities regarding the same. The visitors or picnickers have been gaining access from Government plantation at Gawliwada to the Kodar River through gates, which are now in a dilapidated condition. The visitors prefer bathing at Kodar River and gain free access through these gates to avoid the fees charged by commercial farms located on banks of river.”
The locals have blamed the agriculture department for keeping the gates open and giving the visitors a free access to the river.
The agricultural officers on condition of anonymity said, “The visitors damage the gates for gaining a free access to the river. There is a dispute between Gawliwada locals and agriculture department over the land.
The locals especially senior citizens said several times they have advised the youth and the picnickers against venturing into the river on account of the drowning deaths reported at the spot. But instead of paying heed to their requests the visitors act rude.
