Candolim villagers form human chain

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-02-16
PANAJI- Around 450 Candolim villagers formed a human chain around the derelict vessel ‘River Princess’ to protest against its non-removal till date. The vessel has been grounded off the beach since June 2000.
The MV River Princess is a 240-metre ore carrier belonging to M/s Salgaocar Mining Industries Ltd that went aground off the Candolim-Sinquerim coast.
Earlier, addressing the villagers the former GBA convenor, Mr Oscar Rebello stressing that there cannot be any compromise on the removal of the vessel advised them to form a committee consisting of experts to study the matter and submit it to the government. It may be recalled that the villagers first protested by blocking roads in Candolim and followed it up on the Republic Day by marching towards the Republic Day parade. They were arrested by the police at the ferry point.
Experts have said that over the years the vessel has settled nearly 8 to 10 metres into the seabed and almost 30,000 to 40,000 metric tonnes of sand are in the hull while environmental activists have lamented the steady degradation of the Sinquerim-Candolim beach as the tidal flow beneath and around the hulk has altered the seabed and the sand bank around the vessel has interfered with the natural mechanism of the tides.
Meanwhile, the Candolim Citizens Forum has criticised the allegations made by the Calangute MLA recently and clarified that it is a registered organisation.
It has also denied the allegation that it was extorting money from local builders and questioned the reason why even though he was the MLA for so long and in government for some time that he had only got up now to protest against the removal of the River Princess.
It said that in case any ecological disaster takes place it would hold him responsible for procrastinating on this issue for eight years.