MARGAO
With the panchayat not taking cognisance of the representations made by gram sabha members on the mushrooming illegal scrapyards in the village, local residents have given a call to the people of Sao Jose de Areal to come in large numbers for the gram sabha meeting scheduled on May 14.
A villager Stanley Costa has informed that he had put up a letter to the panchayat to place the issue of illegal scrapyards at the May 14 gram sabha for deliberations and action. He, however, lamented that the panchayat body has rejected his application to place the scrapyard issue at the gram sabha.
Saying that Sao Jose de Areal is the home for around 50 illegal scrapyards, Stanley pointed out that around 12-15 illegal scrapyards are operating in an area admeasuring 5000 square metres without any permission.
Reminding that dengue and other vector borne diseases had hit the scrapyards in the village during the COVID-19 pandemic, Stanley has feared that failure to check the mushrooming of the scrapyards will destroy the fields and agriculture production.
“We had noticed in the past that chemical waste had flowed into the adjoining fields destroying agriculture. Instead of taking up the issue at the gram sabha, the panchayat has rejected my application for discussion,” he said, demanding to know why his application did not find favour with the panchayat body.
Villager Nelson has made a fervent plea to all the villagers of Sao Jose de Areal to turn up for the Sunday gram sabha in large numbers to insist on a discussion on the gram sabha. “The gram sabha is not only meant to discuss developmental proposals. The gram sabha is a forum to discuss issues plaguing the village,” he said, while urging the people to come in large numbers for the gram sabha.
Another resident pointed out that his application for discussion on plots and construction has also not found favour with the panchayat body. “We have information that one of the panchayat members is a contractor in the construction of houses. Hence, the application for discussion on the plots and the house construction is not considered for discussion.”
