With no let up in the landfilling activity at the Tolleaband water body to raise an earthen embankment for the western bypass, beleaguered farmers from Benaulim on Wednesday descended on the Benaulim Panchayat ghar to find out the progress of the decision taken to knock the doors of the Judiciary in support of the construction of the bypass on stilts.
The farmers pointed out that they have come to ascertain the cause behind the delay in filing the petition in the court in view of the resumption of landfilling activity at the Tolleaband water body.
The farmers later met sarpanch Xavier Pereira and discussed the matter including the decision that was taken by the panchayat and the committee constituted of the villagers on the western bypass.
The sarpanch explained to the farmers that there was no change in the panchayat's decision to move the court in order to stop the ongoing landfilling work and to demand construction of the bypass on stilts.
In this connection, a joint meeting of the panchayat, members of the western bypass committee and the farmers has been called on February 10 to take a final call on the matter.
When contacted, the sarpanch informed that the joint meeting will decide how to go about the matter in moving the court on the issue.
He said the panchayat will also invite a resource person to guide and advise the local body and the committee on how to go about the matter. “The panchayat has been in touch with the lawyer on the matter. The joint meeting scheduled on February 10 will hear the suggestions from all sides before taking a call,” Xavier added.
Construction of the western bypass via landfilling has come back to haunt the Benaulim villagers and farmers waging a sustained battle in support of the bypass on stilts.
The Goan had last week highlighted how the PWD, National Highway has been going about the work of dumping mud for the landfilling along the bypass alignment along the Tolleaband water body when the State government is yet to receive a communique from Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on the plea made by the villagers demanding construction of the bypass on stilts.
The villagers led by Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, sarpanch Xavier Pereira, former sarpanchas John Barretto and Royla Fernandes had called on Gadkari during his visit to Goa in December last and handed over a memorandum demanding construction of the bypass on stilts.
