Goans refugees in their own villages…II

Goans refugees in their own villages… Around 2,000 people, who believed that their houses would not be affected by the construction of the Selaulim Dam, are now living illegally on neighbouring rehabilitated plots, after their land was submerged during the damming process. Of course, government records these people as ‘ missing’. Part II of the Selaulim saga... SHWETA KAMAT shweta@ herald- goa. com SANGUEM: Their miscalculation has left them as refugees in their own villages. Around 80 families who initially calculated that the Selaulim Dam water would not inundate their boundaries are now living illegally in the rehabilitation colonies, once the water overran their dwellings and land. In 1975 when state government initiated the process to demarcate the areas that would go under water once Selaulim dam would be built, there were several smaller villages which were supposed to be relocated. People living in settlements such as villages of Kurdi, Talsai, Xelpem, Vhodlem Mol, Kamann, Hunnam, Galyajar, Dapoda, Kurpi and Pottyan had to abandon their houses and cultivated lands. “ Many people at that time thought that their houses will be left untouched so they refused to accept any compensation and instead wanted to stay back,” an elderly villager narrated. But the extent of flooding that took place once the dam came was unbelievable. Their homes and lands went underwater in the catchment area of the dam. People were left with no other alternative than to shift to the new Settlements illegally, though no allocation was made to them. Rajendra Gaonkar, one such refugee, said that government had then sealed the rehabilitation process and they are still going from pillar to post to get their names included in it. “ We have not been named as actual owners of that plot where we are residing at the moment. We might be rendered homeless, if government observes the illegality,” he said. Sadanand Gawade, whose family did a wise thing by accepting the rehabilitation, said that there are around 80 ‘ missing’ families. “ They are living here by constructing houses but in the government record their names are listed as missing,” he said. These families while struggling to get themselves rehabilitated faced another jolt a couple of years ago when government machinery was all set to demolish their houses in the relocated colony, as they were illegal. “ We had to use political pressure and get the demolition stopped. Where will we go, if our houses are demolished? Government has left us like orphans,” said one of the villagers, who repents for not accepting the compensation. “ The policymakers have neglected us. We want parivartan. For the first time, our issue was raised in the state legislative assembly by our Sanguem MLA. All these years, our MLAs left us to fend for ourselves. We made a mistake by not accepting the compensation,” a villager who wished not to be named added. The state government has now constituted a committee headed by Sanguem MLA Subhash Phaldessai, to identify such families, which were left out of the rehabilitation process. http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/epapermain.aspx?queryed=9&eddate=9%2f2%2f2012