Dears,
This is what the Chief Engineer of Water Resources Dept [WRD] has to say,
QUOTE As regards the Bicholim river which has a flood pattern similar to that
of Valvanti, Nadkarni maintained, We plan to de-silt the river and provide
flood walls in the low-lying areas for which, again, an estimate of Rs 8.83
crore has been submitted to the government. The same will be placed before the
EFC and high-level committee.
He said it has been proposed to remove the urgent bottlenecks in the first
phase before the monsoon begins. UNQUOTE
The Rs.8.83 crores that the WRD proposes to spend is from OUR taxes. The silt
in the Valvanti river is from the mining dumps of the many companies operating
upstream on the same river banks.
Mr. Ramesh Gawas recently reminded us that last year one mining company
earned Rs.2.8 crores from mining in Bicholim and the Govt spent Rs.2.00 crores
on compensation to flood victims ... again from our taxes.
Wah!
Mog asundi.
Miguel
Govt reassures on flood control
BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, APRIL 23 Even as people residing on the banks of rivers Valvanti in
Sanquelim and Bicholim are hoping the coming monsoon would pass off without the
perennial flooding, the Water Resources Department on Wednesday maintained it
has worked out flood-mitigation measures.
Reacting to news reports appearing in a section of the press that the
government wasnt doing enough to mitigate inundations in the areas, Chief
Engineer S T Nadkarni at a press conference sought to clarify, Thats not
true; the government has formed committees to study the causes of flooding. We
are not sitting quiet. The problem requires lot of study and we are looking at
long-term measures.
Explaining the measures to the media, Nadkarni informed, WRD has surveyed the
whole length of Valvanti from Maharashtra border to Sanquelim town since
December. This year, it is proposed to provide a pump house, improve the
existing bundh and remove urgent bottlenecks to the flow of the river.
He described further, The study of improvement of geometrics of the river and
also the flood-mitigation measures in Maharashtra are in progress and would
help to mitigate the floods to a great extent.
The Valvanti flood-mitigation measures have been estimated at around Rs 19.47
crore. A proposal has been submitted to the government. It will be placed
before the expenditure financial committee (EFC) and a high-level committee
soon, he informed and added, The works will be taken up in a phased manner.
Answering a question, he observed that the total catchment of Valvanti river
was about 98.58 sq km, out of which 33.58 sq km was in Maharashtra and
Karnataka. We are getting all cooperation from Maharashtra. Yesterday,
secretaries of both States met over the issue.
Last year in September the people in Sanquelim experienced a nightmarish flash
flood resulting in loss of property and livestock. Flood waters reached a level
of 7.50 meters and the flood discharge observed was to the tune of more than
1000 cumecs (one cumec is shorthand for cubic metre per second).
As regards the Bicholim river which has a flood pattern similar to that of
Valvanti, Nadkarni maintained, We plan to de-silt the river and provide flood
walls in the low-lying areas for which, again, an estimate of Rs 8.83 crore has
been submitted to the government. The same will be placed before the EFC and
high-level committee.
He said it has been proposed to remove the urgent bottlenecks in the first
phase before the monsoon begins.
Superintendent Engineer A S Salelkar and Executive Engineer P B Badami were
also present at the briefing.
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