Amidst growing anger over deforestation, hill-cutting and concretising lands, villagers of Khola, Agonda and Barcem-Quedem marched in unison to Paryemoll to oppose construction of a fishmeal factory.
Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa, besides Sarpanch of Khola Krishna Velip, Dy Sarpanch Pandhari Prabhudessai, and other panch members, besides a former-sarpanch and ex-panch members of Barcem-Quedem and prominent members along with hundreds of residents marched shouting slogans ‘Amkam Naka amkam naka, Fish Meal amkam Naka’, to the site at Paryemoll (on the side of Barcem-Quedem panchayat area), where mass destruction of trees, hill-cutting and levelling of land is still going on to construct a fishmeal factory.
A former panch Narayan Velip spoke of how the ghost of a fishmeal factory has come back to haunt the area, since it was objected to and disbanded in the year 2017, after people of Quedem and Paryemoll had jointly organised the protest almost 6 years ago.
Incidentally, just before the huge gathering assembled at the site, heavy earthmoving machinery along with tipper trucks and others were shifted and hidden behind bushes and trees.
Khola Sarpanch Krishna Velip highlighted how the fish meal factory unit if allowed to come up will ruin the atmosphere and cause grave pollution of the water bodies, including springs, housewell and rivulets, converging into big rivers down the line.
Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa stated that no one knows if precisely a fishmeal factory is coming up or something else. “Neither the Khola Panchayat is approached nor the Barcem-Quedem Panchayat for any NOC, nor I have heard that such permission is sought or accorded by any of the authorities. How can we say it’s a fish meal factory?”
“Infact, the ill-effects of a fish meal factory are widely felt and seen in neighbouring Cuncolim constituency, where Cuncolim MLA Yuri Alemao is goaded by the residents of Balli, Adnem about the pollution in their rivulets and even wells, besides the stench around many of the localities. Let us first enquire with the authorities as to what permission is sought and for what the deforestation and hill-cutting is being done,” Altone said.
While sarpanch or any sitting panch of Barcem-Quedem Panchayat were not seen among protesters, people strongly demanded to stop the deforestation, excavation and forgo if there are any plans for construction of a fishmeal factory saying, “Save our main rivers flowing from Agonda and Saleri from the imminent pollution.”
The villagers have handed over a memorandum signed by them to MLA of Quepem Constituency Altone D’costa giving him full responsibility to save Khola and Agonda Villages and the people living there from pollution. Residents from Ambdem, Paryemol, Kudai,Karegal were present in large number.