After croc attack, WRD plans to build clothes-washing facilities

Ponda: The water resources department has been considering building washing facilities at riverbanks where villagers wash clothes and bathe in light of the recent crocodile attack on the Santon-Dabal woman.

WRD minister Subhash Shirodkar said they have identified five such places where people normally bathe and wash clothes.

The minister said his department would construct platforms with a water tap fitted to them to avoid locals venturing into rivers to wash clothes or for bathing.

On May 5, a crocodile had attacked Vishranti Parshuram Gaonkar from Santon-Dabal in Dharbandora taluka when she had ventured into the river to wash clothes. The spot where the crocodile targeted her is regularly used by locals to wash clothes. Gaonkar was saved only because of the swift intervention by her neighbours Prakash Naik and Sushanti Naik.

After the incident, the Sanguem forest officials erected a signboard warning for locals not to go into the water.

Mollem sub-divisional forest officer Minguel Fernandes said that the incident took place because of marshy water at the site.

“Because of marshy water, the woman could not see the crocodile present in the water, and she went in,” Fernandes said.

The forest officials have released the water from the Ambe-Dhulay bandhara to flow away the thin layer of marshy water and have been keeping a close watch on the areas where crocodiles were spotted, Fernandes said.