MARGAO: The 10-member committee constituted to study the matter pertaining to the Western Bypass stretch from Seraulim to Varca will hold its first meeting on August 20 at South Goa District Collectorate.
Petitioner Royla Fernandes is mostly likely to hold the power-point presentation at the meeting.
On Friday, a team led by Environment Secretary Kunal visited the Tolleaband Lake as per National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directions. However, petitioner Royla Fernandes expressed shock that she was not intimated by the committee, despite being the petitioner in the matter.
“I was not informed by the committee constituted to study the case but got a call from home that people are gathered at the site and hence I rushed to the Tolleaband Lake,” she said.
Royla said District Collector Ruchika Katyal has assured her that she will be called for the meeting scheduled on August 20 at the Collectorate office. “I have asked for permission to give a PowerPoint presentation on the issue,” she informed.
It may be recalled that the petitioner had warned the committee that people of Benaulim and the students will march to the offices of the Environment Department, besides Goa Pollution Control Board for not taking the issue seriously and for the delay.
At the site, Royla urged the committee members to build the Western Bypass stretch from Seraulim to Varca on stilts. However, the visit by the 10-member committee at the time of the dry spell has raised many questions amongst the locals.
Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao demanded that Western Bypass be built on stilts. “I was not aware of the visit by the 10-member committee constituted under the directions of the NGT. I had raised this issue even before the central leader Nitin Gadkari,” he said.
