-- Samir Umarye
BICHOLIM AUG 18: About 47 shops were flooded in the market area at Sanquelim due to heavy rains on Tuesday night, causing an initial estimated loss of Rs 8 lakhs. Bicholim witnessed a heavy downpour on Tuesday night and the rains continued till the wee hours of Wednesday, flooding the Sanquelim market. To make matters worse, authorities were compelled to open all four gates at the Anjunem dam, as the water had touched the danger levels. Sensing danger, a number of people tried to retrieve their belongings from the shops. While some managed to salvage some of their possessions, others could not do so. Most shops in Sanquelim market were flooded by early Wednesday morning, as rainwater destroyed clothes, groceries and other goods in the shops. The Sanquelim market area was most affected by floods, specially since the market has structures on all sides, making it difficult for water to flow elsewhere. Later in the morning, authorities used pumps to remove rainwater from the market area. Angry shopkeepers accused the government of failing to address the problem on time. “Despite investing huge money on a retaining wall and a pump house in the market, the floods continue to destroy our goods. These measures are useless and it is just an eye wash,” complained an affected shopkeeper, Sandeep Kanekar. Incidentally, officials from the Irrigation Department were not alert enough to start the lift irrigation pumps as the rainwater began to rise in the Sanquelim market area. The pumps were started under the supervision of engineers, but only after rainwater entered the shops. Rainwater also entered in houses at low-lying areas in Vithalapur, Maulingtad and surrounding areas. According to Chief Engineer (Water Resource) Sandeep Nadkarni, the flood was caused not just because of rains in the State, but also due to heavy rains in the Ghats. “The floods were caused as there were heavy rains in the Ghat region,” explained Nadkarni. “The retaining wall along the Walwanti river is not completed, but will be taken up shortly. With the retaining wall, the problem will be solved.” Bicholim Mamlatdar Pramod Bhat, Mayem MLA Anant Shet and other government officials visited the site and took stock of the situation. Speaker Pratapsing Rane on Wednesday visited Sanquelim market area to take stock of the situation. He was accompanied by Engineer Nadkarni, Sanguem Municipal Council Chairperson Anand Naik, SMC Chief Officer Bhanudas Naik and other councilors. Former Sanquelim sarpanch Praveen Blaggen claimed that flood precautionary measures undertaken by the government at a cost of Rs 22 crore in Sanquelim were washed away in the floods. Meanwhile, low-lying areas in Bicholim, including Bandarwada, Gaonkarwada, Bordem main road and near Shantadurga High School were also submerged due to heavy rains on Tuesday night. Rainwater also entered the fields at Mulgao, Shirgao, Latambarcem, Nanora and Kudchirem area, causing losses to the farmers. Elsewhere, a huge tree fell on a road at Chodan where heavy rains snapped off electricity wires disrupting power in the area. In the evening, the toilet of the police outpost at Dodamarg was damaged when a tree came crashing down on it. The Bicholim fire force officials went to the site and cleared the debris.