THE GOAN NETWORK
VALPOI
Expressing shock over the lack of basic facilities at Harijanwada-Gawane in Khotoda, Sattari since the last 48 years, North Goa Collector Levinson Martins pulled up government officials for failing to address their problems.
At a special meeting in the Valpoi Municipal Council (VMC) hall in Valpoi, Martins directed officials from the electricity, water, roads, women and child development, civil supply and others to urgently look into the issue of providing facilities and to submit a report within 10 days.
Others present at the meeting included Additional Collectors Vikas Gawnekar and Gopal Parsekar, Bicholim Deputy Collector Pradeep Naik, Sattari Mamletdar Dasharath Gawas and Khotoda Sarpanch Omprakash Barve.
The meeting was convened after an NGO Sattari Jagrata Yuva Manch had submitted a memorandum to Governor Mridula Sinha regarding lack of facilities for 14 families in Harijanwada, who were deprived of water supply, electricity and proper road access.
The NGO complained that residents in these areas had been deprived of these basic facilities since the last 48 years, adding that authorities were least bothered about their problems despite repeated complaints.
Concerned about the plight of residents in Harijanwada, Governor Sinha directed the North Goa Collector to seriously look into the matter.
Acting on her directives, North Goa Collector Levinson Martins had convened a special meeting with officials to discuss the issue.
Martins directed the health officer of Valpoi Community Health Centre Valpoi to issue NOCs to obtain electricity connection for houses and also directed panchayat members to assist the villagers at the Valpoi CHC.
Martins also directed the Electricity Department Assistant Engineer to provide street lights to the residents in the area.
Given the poor financial condition of residents in Harijanwada, the collector directed the civil supplies inspector to issue BPL ration cards to them.
The water supply assistant engineer was directed to provide water connections to households in Harijanwada, to enable them to get clean drinking water from the Dabos water treatment plant.
The collector directed the panchayat to grant an NOC to build a proper access road and also directed the PWD (roads) to take up road construction work at the earliest.
The education department officials were instructed to provide a Bal Rath bus for students attending schools.
Since the present mud access leading to Harijanwada is very narrow, forest department officials have been directed to trim unwanted plants on both sides of the road, to enable easy access for the Bal Rath bus.
Later speaking to reporters, Martins said it was shocking to find the locality deprived of basic facilities for so many years.
“All departments concerned have been directed to look seriously into the matter and to submit a report within 10 days. A review meeting will be conducted regarding the status on different issues,” Martins said.
