Margao: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant officially ordered the scrapping of the controversial Mirabag bandhara project, making notings to that effect in the project file — fulfilling a written assurance that protesting villagers persistently demanded.In his notings, Sawant acknowledged that the project was initiated “considering future water demands and drinking water requirements of the locality and the state in public interest,” and that a PowerPoint presentation was made to explain the project to locals. However, he said, “considering the demand of the villagers to scrap the project and in view of the sentiments of the public,” the decision to scrap it has been approved.The chief minister also directed the water resources department (WRD) to identify alternative sites for a similar project in South Goa or the Kushavati district, with the condition that prior consultation with local residents must precede any such initiative.The contentious project proposed the construction of a barrage and a 50 MLD raw water pumping station across the Zuari river at Mirabag. Villagers protested for 49 days, alleging that the project would devastate their land and livelihoods, and threatened to march to Azad Maidan in Panaji to escalate their agitation, a move that prompted authorities to invoke Section 163 of the BNSS to prohibit any such gathering in the state capital.
Sawant verbally assured the villagers of the scrapping at a meeting and also committed to filling the two deep pits excavated by the WRD, resurfacing the damaged road before the monsoon, and withdrawing police cases against four protesters. However, villagers insisted on a written, official confirmation.Having obtained the file notings by the chief minister through an RTI application, the protesters welcomed the development, calling it a vindication of their sustained agitation.
