MAPUSA
Construction of a new panchayat ghar, hoteliers releasing raw sewage into the fields, painting of speed breakers and other issues dominated the Arpora-Nagoa gram sabha on Sunday.
Locals requested the panchayat members to use the good office of the RDA Minister, Michael Lobo who is the local MLA to construct a new panchayat ghar for the village.
“The construction of the new panchayat ghar has been pending for the last several years. The panchayat only assures us that it will be done but nothing happens,” said Peter D’Souza, a local from the village.
He said if the panchayat department was unable to come up with the project then it can be constructed through the funds of the rural development agency (RDA) department.
Sarpanch Rajesh Morajkar informed that the work on the new panchayat ghar is expected to begin soon as the project has already got the technical sanction.
“We have been pursuing the matter for quite some time now. We will ensure that the work on the new panchayat ghar is taken up at the earliest,” Morajkar said.
Locals brought to the notice of the panchayat members that several tourists zooming on two-wheelers met with accidents on account of not sighting the speed-breakers and urged the panchayat to ensure that the speed-breakers are regularly painted.
“Locals who are aware of the speed-breakers take adequate precautions but it’s the tourists that suffer the most as they meet with accidents after suddenly encountering the speed-breakers,” a gram sabha member pointed out and urged the panchayat to ensure the speed-breakers are regularly painted by the concerned department.
A villager, Anna D’Mello informed the gram sabha that several restaurants in Arpora release their raw sewage into the fields and nullahs thereby polluting the fields and water bodies.
She requested the panchayat to issue notices to the erring restaurant owners and impose stiff fines on them for harming the environment.
D’Mello also warned the panchayat that the ongoing work of filling mud in low-lying areas to widen the Arpora-Anjuna road will result in the blocking of traditional drains along the stretch.
The sarpanch informed that the contractor has been instructed and drains will be constructed while constructing the road.
