Porvorim
Saligao gramsabha held on Sunday witnessed discussions on collection of garbage fees, scrapyards and potholed roads.
Raising the issue of non-collection of garbage fees, Mario Cordeiro said the panchayat wasn’t doing anything to collect these fees from people staying in rented premises in the village. He mentioned that as per his information there are 3147 rented premises in Saligao. The panchayat will get substantial revenue if it collects garbage fees from these people, he stated.
Cordeiro also sought to know whether the panchayat had given permission to scrapyards in Saligao. He said scrapyards without valid permission should be closed down. Replying to issue of garbage fees, Sarpanch Lafira Gomes said as per the panchayat act in force, the local body could levy fees to the tune of Rs 1000 per year on people staying in rented premises. She said if the gram sabha was unanimous on this, then the panchayat was ready to act in the matter. Secondly, she informed, panchayat had not given permission to scrapyards and these were operating illegally in the fields of the village Comunidade.
Villagers complained that open garbage dumping was on the rise and panchayat should act against those found resorting to this.
Lafira Gomes mentioned that the panchayat has taken a decision to impose a fine of Rs 5000 on any person found dumping garbage in open spaces. “The panchayat will display notice boards in open spaces warning people not to throw garbage. The panchayat has also written a letter to the Goa State Pollution Control Board to take action against vehicles carrying garbage to the garbage treatment plant without covering it,” she informed.
Austin D’Gama raised the issue of potholes on the road opposite the panchayat office and called for filling up these with concrete.
Shelu Fernandes mentioned that it was now more than two months the culvert in Aradi had collapsed and sought to know when the panchayat will construct a new one in its place.
The sarpanch assured to look into the matter seriously and do the needful.
Earlier the sarpanch welcomed the villagers and the panchayat secretary Karishma Ghadi read out the minutes of the last gram sabha meeting.
