Raising dust, breathing pollution
The model corridor road from Panjim to Old Goa currently shows no signs of perfection. BASURI DESAI finds that the road is unlikely to meet the May-end deadline
There are clouds of dust that rise in the wake of every vehicle that drives down the Panjim-Old Goa model corridor road. And as the movement of vehicles on this road is regular, the dust never settles. It hovers in the air and not only envelopes the vehicles, but hits the residents of the Ribandar and Kadamba plateau.
“It is a complete mess, not just the road, but the entire area. There is pollution and the dust enters our houses, which are located at more than 200 meters from the highway,” Shradha Naik, a resident of the area, said.
Naik is referring to the model corridor road, which was supposed to be completed by October 2014 but is now aiming for a May 2015 finish, which could again be extended. In the meanwhile thousands of residents of Ribandar and Kadamba plateau have been affected by the digging of the entire road that is leading to the pollution.
Heavy machinery is at work on this 9.8-km long stretch 24 hours a day as the contractors rush to complete the work as quickly as possible.
But, while the contractors are looking at the calendar, it is the local residents that are facing health hazards created by the dust.
The entire stretch has been excavated and familiar landmarks razed, leading to some confusion as even residents of the area sometimes find it difficult to find their way out of the huge open space to their respective colonies. This is more of a problem at night.
Jayesh Patil, a resident of Kadamba plateau, said it is difficult for the people to use the temporary mud road. “We find it difficult to search for the connecting roads from the colonies, especially at night, but sometimes even during the day,” Patil said.
The dust pollution has led to a complaint being filed with the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) by social activist Sudip Tamhankar and others who are residents of Kadamba plateau. “I have filed a complaint with GSPCB and accordingly GSPCB has inspected the site and recorded the pollution level. Unfortunately, no directions have been issued to the concerned contractor,” Tamhankar said.
GSPCB member secretary Levinson Martins said that GSPCB is examining the inspection reports and will shortly issue directions to the contractor. “Right now I am examining the file of the said complaint and also our records,” Martins told Herald.
Defending the PWD, Principal Chief Engineer D J S Borkar told Herald that he has already warned the contractor once before to control the pollution levels. He further said that the necessary permissions from all the agencies have been taken before issuing the work order of road. GSPCB was not approached, he said, as it is not necessary for the PWD. He, however, added that if the contractor is found violating GSPCB norms he should be booked by the corporation.
The work on the 9.8 km-long road is being undertaken by Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt Ltd. They are due to complete the work by the end of next month, but Executive Engineer of Division VII, Ulhas Kerkar, said it may extend by another two months as approximately 40% of the work has been completed till date.
