GSUDA to hand over acquired land to disaster management officials
GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO
Will a portion of the 1.37 lakh sq mtrs GSUDA acquired land at Madel now play host to the World Bank-funded Cyclone Risk Mitigation Centre more than half a decade after agitated farmers and local residents have shot down the controversial truck terminus project and the bus stand in the lush green paddy fields?
With Velim saying a firm "no" to the proposed World Bank-funded Cyclone Risk Mitigation Centre to house people during emergencies, disaster management officials have now eyed upon a sizeable chunk of the acquired land in TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai's backyard. The proposal to set up the Cyclone Risk Mitigation Centre has come at a time when the beleaguered farmers and residents of Madel were bracing up to knock the doors of the TCP minister to return back their fields for agricultural cultivation.
If senior Water Resources Department (WRD) official R B Ghanti, who is in-charge of putting in place disaster management facilities, is to be believed, the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) has agreed in principle to hand over acquired land admeasuring 4000 sq mts to set up the proposed Cyclone Risk Mitigation Centre for coastal Salcete.
In fact, officials along with survey officials descended at the acquired land at Madel for demarcation of the 4000 sq mts of land, but the thick carpet of vegetation and bushes prevented the officials from carrying out the exercise. "Our officials will re-visit the acquired fields for demarcation. GSUDA has agreed in principle to hand over to our possession 4000 sq mts of the acquired land to set up the centre," Ghanti said.
"Our mission to have the Cyclone Risk Mitigation Centre at Velim came a cropper after objections from local residents. The proposed centre at Madel will cater to the requirements of Salcete residents hit by cyclone," he said.
Construction of the cyclone centre will kick off no sooner GSUDA hands over the acquired land to the disaster management officials. "The ground-plus two storeyed building will have a provision for cattle on the ground floor, the first floor for women and the top floor for gents. The World Bank will bear the total cost of the building estimated to cost around Rs 3 crore," Ghanti said.
A total of five such centres have been proposed in Goa for the moment, one at Chapoli-Canacona, three at Mormugao and one at Pilerne. "In Salcete, we have eyed on the GSUDA acquired land since there's no government land available in the taluka," he added.
Incidentally, the disaster management officials are required to hold consultations with the people before preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR). "We will hold wide consultations with the people, including local councillors and people before preparing the DPR. The exercise of consultations will commence after the election code of conduct," Ghanti added.
The TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai had in the past rallied behind the farmers and people of Madel in Fatorda constituency to oppose the controversial truck terminus and later the bus stand proposed by then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in 2012.
