*Sub: A Rivulet called "ONUIM*"
Some years back a son of Mandopa, Navelim, Mr. Ignatius Gomes have twice in his letters to Editor, brought to the attention of Public and Government, the very need to desilt the once richly supportive Rivulet to agricultural life of Navelim: Dongorim, Aquem Baixo, Firgulem, Mandopa, Ravoll, Fradilem etc. with a chain of 3 Bandhs, known as Voilo Bandh, Modlo Bandh and Sokoilo Bandh which not only supported irrigation life there but it also served a pisiculture that served the surrounding inhabitants of East Navelim that runs from Ravonfond of Aquem Baixo till Jaknibandh of Fradilem where it crosses NH17 and later flows its fresh water to embrace salt water rivulet, as one of the several tributories of *Rival Sal* that runs from Nuvem till Betul after serving Margao, West Navelim, Benaulim, Varca, Orlim, Chinchinim, Asolna, Cavelosim and Betul. The Rivulet was simply named as “ONUIM” if one remembers. These Bandhs’ trapping of fag end of Monsoon flood waters have also served in increase of ground water level and held hundreds of domestic drinking wells water level well high for long scorching summer days and therefore wells were hardly used to go dry even after the monsoon rains starts. But now having abandoned the trapping of monsoon waters due to unknown reasons the Rivulet has become very shallow due to Years of silt collection, as a result irrigation has been abandoned and excused as not viable. As a result surrounding domestic wells are also going dry from November / December only and the Rivulet, once beautiful serpentine shaped river look like nothing but a nullah. The then MLA and our good friend did not think of it as fit to do anything remedial to save the life supporting Rivulet for reasons best know to him. Hence, the popular request for desilting the river, preserving the monsoon waters and reactivating the river for cultivation & vegetation purpose have been ignored. The people surrounding the Rivulet were very much relying on these waters not only on the irrigation but vegetation too soon after the harvest of paddy crop was over. No doubt there was another disturbing problem for the people of Aquem Baixo, Dongorim, Firgulem and Mandopa to suffer for cleaner waters of Voilo Bandh and that was the waters of Voilo Bandh used to get contaminated as the untreated Sewage of Indian Military at Davorlim, Quepem Road was released at Ravondfond Bridge which was spoiling the clean waters of the Voilo Bandh but that sewage water now stand as stopped. In this view now there stand better chances for reviving the trapping of monsoon waters and for reactivating the Rivulet for the benefit of the thousands of surrounding household. For this purpose the desilting of the Rivulet is very much necessary for the benefit of all concerned. Can therefore, the present MLA, Mr. Churchill Alemao who got himself elected from Navelim Constituency challenge the strongest past MLA, Mr. Luizinho Faleiro of Navelim for decades and do something more which past MLA never ventured to do for the local people? The call for such a very important need is being repeated now for the 3rdtime if not more in requesting to desilt the Rivulet andis aperfect challenge to his bete-noire that Churchill can do in his very first term what Luizinho could never do for last 3 plus decades. Time and challenge will only tell us what Churchill is capable to do!!! Thank you. Elvino Rodrigues. _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ tambdimati: the Goa review is a community blog of original _/ art, writing, music, news and commentary from and about the _/ smallest state in the subcontinent. check out the newest _/ member of the Goanet family daily at _/ http://www.tambdimati.com. _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
