PERNEM: The house of freedom fighter Shankar Narayan Gad in Pernem has been completely disconnected from the mainstream due to the overflowing Kadshi River. This issue recurs every monsoon when the Kadshi culvert, connecting the village to the rest of the world, submerges, leaving villagers stranded for days.
The family has requested Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Pernem MLA Pravin Arlekar to take appropriate action.
The Kadshi village in Pernem faces an annual ordeal during the monsoon season as the only access bridge submerges under the swollen Kadshi River, isolating the village. Freedom fighter Shankar Narayan Gad and his family have expressed their distress over the recurring issue.
For the past five years, the Kadshi Bridge is getting submerged, leaving the villagers stranded without access to essential services during monsoon. Students are unable to attend classes, and villagers cannot shop for groceries as no vehicles can cross the flooded bridge. Without proper facilities in the village, residents rely on the Fire and Emergency Services for medical help.
The Gad family has requested the Chief Minister to assist the affected families by raising the height of the bridge, ensuring safe and uninterrupted access to the village.
According to Umesh Gad, son of the freedom fighter, their house is getting inundated every monsoon for the last four years. This, he said, was happening since the construction of the Mopa international airport as the water flow was diverted.
He said, “Due to flooding, few houses get disconnected from the entire village making it difficult for the children to go to school. It’s now 13 days that our area is submerged.”
He demanded that the government should increase the height of the two culverts.
When contacted, Tamboxem-Mopa-Uguem sarpanch Subodh Mahale said, “Last year the village panchayat had submitted a proposed to the PWD requesting them to increase the height of the two culverts and to change it from piped to box type culverts. Local MLA Pravin Arlekar had visited the site last year and raised the matter in the Assembly too. But till date nothing has been done.”