NT NETWORK
MAPUSA
Water resources department (WRD) has commenced the pending work of reconstruction of the main nullah at the back side of the Mapusa municipal market. The WRD department is also removing encroachments to maintain the original width of 3 metres.
It may be recalled that way back in December 2012, the work was proposed to be undertaken as regards desilting and reconstruction of nullah which is the biggest and longest one.
Mapusa Municipal Council had passed a resolution on May 10, 2012 requesting water resources department to undertake the work. The main nullah takes the burden of entire upper area and connects the Tar river. The nullah originates from the hill near Vithalwadi and comes down through ward No 10 and then proceeds behind PWD water supply office towards the main market area, Morod and ends into Tar river. Once a rainwater carrier, the nullah has now turned into a trail of sewage water which is discharged by households.
The WRD had tendered the work of reconstruction and desilting for a stretch of 1130 metres starting from Mapusa post office up to Morod of which more than 50 per cent of the work has been completed. Of the pending work, the major reconstruction work will be taken up on a stretch of 200 meters which is on the rear side of the market wherein a width of three metres will be maintained and a box culvert will constructed.
Sources in municipality informed that an area of around 1.5 metres was left vacant which is now not seen as shops are built on the edges of the nullah.
In this connection, the municipality had issued show cause notices to around 30 shops in April last year.
Sources in the department claimed that the remaining work will not be an easy task as besides encroachments on the nullah, there are electricity cables, water pipelines which are yet to be removed by the concerned departments.
Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council Sandip Falari said that “one of the major problems during rains in the market is flooding. The WRD has come up with a permanent solution by undertaking reconstruction of entire nullah and to have a box culvert which will stop choking.”
