VASCO: Agitated with the four-day ultimatum to vacate the relief camp at Sports Complex Bhutea Bhat, Baina, the migrants housed at the complex have threatened to protest in front of Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) building with their families if the government forcefully vacates them.
Speaking to Herald, the migrants said they will not vacate the sports complex, as they cannot afford to pay high rent. They claimed that no one is willing to rent out their houses to them and those who are willing to rent out their houses are demanding Rs 5,000-6,000 as rent.
“If the government forcefully vacates us, then we along with our families will sleep in front of MMC building,” warned a migrant.
“We cannot go to our native place as our children are studying here. Our parents had come down to Goa and have been working as labourers and we also grew up here. We urge the government to provide us land so that we can construct our own hut without any financial help from the government,” added the migrant.
The migrants further said for the last one month they have been staying in the open hall at sports complex, which is full of mosquitoes.
When brought to their notice that their stay is temporary and they had to vacate before September 1 to accommodate the migrants of the second phase demolition of shanties at Baina Beach, the migrants said they will not vacate the relief camp.
When contacted, Mormugao Deputy Collector Gaurish Shankwalkar said before shifting the migrants to the relief camp, they were told that it was a temporary stay and they will have to make alternate arrangement for their further stay at their own cost.
“If the migrants do not vacate by September 1, then they will be forcefully evicted to make room for the migrants of the second phase of demolition,” he said.
