MARGAO: The “underwater” village of Kurdi in Sanguem, which is now turning out to be a favourite spot among picnickers, is now on the radar of the government authorities.
Sanguem deputy collector Sagar Gaude along with mamlatdar Manoj Korgaonkar visited the village on Thursday and noticed visitors violating pandemic SOPs.
They also found that unscrupulous revelers had left behind litter.
As the village comes under the reservoir submergence of the Salaulim irrigation project and, therefore, comes under the jurisdiction of the water resources department (WRD), Gaude on Friday convened a meeting with WRD officials and sought a status report of the area.
Taking cognizance of a commemorative event organised by members of a minority community in the village recently, a video clip of which has since gone viral, Gaude also directed WRD officials to submit a report on it.
Police were also directed to conduct regular patrolling at the village to ensure that visitors don’t misbehave and that there are no attempts to incite communal disharmony.
The WRD is expected to submit its report to the office of the deputy collector by Monday.
The thrill of exploring an underwater village located amidst idyllic surroundings has been drawing hordes of visitors to the place for a few weeks preceding the monsoons.
Concerned citizens have raised apprehensions over the safety of the vehicles using the roads and old unused culverts here.
Locals also frequent the village once it reappears to go fishing in the waters using canoes.
The fact that the area is not within the range of any mobile network adds to the concerns that communication could be hampered in case of any disaster.
The nearest health centre and fire station are located 20km away from Kurdi.
Residents of surrounding villages have also expressed their disapproval over the nuisance created by some visitors by leaving behind empty beer bottles and leftover food in the open.
The Kurdi village went under water after it came under the reservoir submergence of Salaulim irrigation project over 30 years ago.
Most parts of the village resurface for a brief while once the water level recedes during summer, before going underwater once the monsoons set in.
The relics of the ancient Someshwar temple, and a RCC building that once housed a police outpost are some landmarks that bear telltale marks of the once bustling village.