John Fernandes Quepem The Quepem Margao Highway at paroda submerged under water since early Saturday morning as the Kushawati flooded thereby disturbing the normal life on this route. The traffic going to margoa was diverted via Amona Chandor side. The submergence of the Quepem Margao high way continued till the filling of this report. The heavy rain caused damaged to properties at Cacora, Shelvona and Amona. At Shelvona the house of one Subhash Chadra Dessai flooded with water thereby causing damage to the extent of Rs.2000/- while at Cocora the house of one Rosita Dias collapse thereby causing loss to the extent of Rs.35,000/- and at Amona the house of one Julio Dias damage thereby causing damage to the extend of Rs.8000/-. However no damage to life was reported. It is a regular feature that every year kushawati River get flooed at Paroda in the month July or in August when the down pour of rain is heavy. This year it flooded in the month of June itself. The Quepem Margao high way submerged at three places at karale, near paroda temple and near the paroda Church. The main sufferer are the school children from Mule , Karale and other places who goes to Immaculate Conception High School which situates on the other side of the Kushawati river. One Joazinho D’Cunha who has cross 60 years of age and who resides on the bank of Kushawati river informed herald that in his entire life has not seen Kushawati river flooding in the month of June. The Kushawati River use to get flooded either in the month of july or August that to if it rains heavily for consecutive two to three. The present situation shows that some thing wrong has been done to the kushawati River. Informed said Juazinho futher. Rama Velip of Colomba informed herald that the flooding of Kusahwati river is solely not because of heavy rain, but it is mainly due to the siltation of the low lying area of the river and due to release of water from the mining pond of the mines operating in Rivona, colomba, Cavrem, maina which are the catchment areas/feeding ground of Kushawati river. Rama Velip further informed that when it rains heavily lot of rain water get accumulated into the mining ponds and inorder to avoid unwarranted damage to the mining pond/pit the mining companies way out the water saturated into the mining pond into the Kushawati river or into its tributaries which results in flooding of Kushawati river even if its rains heavily for one . The villagers of Colomba even filed a writ petition in the High Court highlighting these issues informed said Rama further.
