BICHOLIM: Residents of Sanquelim and Bicholim are apprehensive of occurrence of floods due to incessant rains that are lashing the area since a couple of days. The water of Valvanti river in Sanquelim and Bicholim river was flowing above the danger mark on Saturday and government machinery has been alerted to handle any eventuality in event of floods. However, the situation is under control.

It appears that the measures initiated by the government by spending about Rs 30 crore towards flood-control measures in Sanquelim and Bicholim are ineffective. About Rs 22 crore fund was spent on flood control measure on Sanquelim’s Valvanti river. Protection walls on banks of this river at certain spots from where flood water gushes into marketing and other residential areas, de-silting of river, setting of pump system for extraction of flood water from market at Sanquelim, were some of the measures undertaken by the government before the onset of the monsoon.
“The measures undertaken are inappropriate and if incessant rains continue for a couple of days then the Valvanti river of Sanquelim will flood causing enormous loss of property. In event of release of water from the Anjunem dam the situation will aggravate,” opined Sanquelim councillor, Mr Vijaykumar Verenkar.
“The situation at Bicholim is similar. About Rs 8 crore was spent on flood control measures. However these measures are not at all effective in controlling the floods. Senior citizens should have been taken into confidence while undertaking flood-control measures,” opined the Bicholim block Congress president, Mr Naresh Sawal.
The mud that was de-silted from the river banks and Bicholim nullah was dumped close by. It has started flowing back into the river due to high current flood water. The work was completed in hurry and it is sub-standard,” said Bicholim Municipal Council chairperson, Mr Satish Gaonkar.
“Despite increasing the height of Bicholim culvert near Shantadurga school circle, water-logging has occurred at Kumbharwada. The flood control measures have proved futile,” alleged Bicholim councillor, Mr Bhagwan Harmalkar.