KERI: Despite stern opposition from affected villagers of Dodamarg taluka in Maharashtra and Pernem taluka in Goa, the Maharashtra government has resumed work of constructing a bandhara across Khadshi nallah. It is an attempt to dam the waters.
Khadshi nallah is a perennial tributary which joins River Tiracol at Uguem, Pernem, and is the most important source of irrigation water for agriculturalists and horticulturalists from Dodamarg and Pernem.
Though Khadshi nallah is in the interstate Tiracol river basin, the Maharashtra government without signing any memorandum of understanding or obtaining any mandatory clearances had begun the work of constructing the bandhara.
For a short while, following opposition from villagers and directives from minister Uday Samant, the work on the bandhara had been halted. But now this work has resumed and is presently on in full swing.
“Our officials visited the site of the bandhara across the Khadshi and also spoke with officials concerned from Maharashtra. We are in the process of planning a strategy regarding the issue,” said Pramod Badami, the chief engineer of the water resources department of Goa.
“Damming of natural flow of Khadshi nallah by constructing the bandhara will cause irreparable loss not only to the environment and ecology, but to agriculture and horticulture fields, which are the sources of livelihood for us,” sarpanch of village panchayat Dongarpal, Dingane and Galel, Sanjay Dinganekar, said.
