Amidst concerns raised by villagers in Goa regarding the construction of the Vasant bandhara across the Kadshi nullah by the Maharashtra government, Subhash Shirodkar, the state minister for water resources, visited the site. The construction, carried out without approval from the Goa government, has led to a significant reduction in water flow into Goa.
The Maharashtra government initiated the bandhara project to supply water to the industrial estate at Adali in Dodamarg, Maharashtra. Despite objections from Pernem taluka village panchayats, the Goa government had not taken immediate action.
Shirodkar, accompanied by officials and affected villagers, recently visited the Kadshi nullah, which originates in the forests of the Mhatarbaba hill in Padve-Majgao in Sawantwadi tehsil, covering a distance of 8.5km till it joins the Tiracol river in Goa.
During the visit, Shirodkar assured Pernem villagers that he would discuss the matter with his counterparts in Maharashtra and take necessary steps to ensure the natural flow of Kadshi nullah is not obstructed, preserving the water quantity in the nullah.
Goa WRD executive engineer Nazareth Vaz, zilla panchayat member Suryakant Toraskar, and others were present during the visit. Concerns about the bandhara construction were raised almost two years ago by Umesh Gad, who submitted a memorandum to Goa officials, emphasizing the nullah’s importance for irrigation and drinking water in the region. Villagers from Dongarpal, Morgao, Dingane also submitted a memorandum to authorities in Maharashtra earlier.
