MARGAO
Flooded with a host of issues raised by Saxttikars, including burning and controversial issues such as track doubling, the western bypass and the demand to denotify the port limits during his visit to the villages on Saturday, Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai has reminded that the Raj Bhavan is not an Executive authority, but has promised to look into various aspects of the issues presented by the newly-elected Panchayat bodies.
With petitions and representations galore from Salcete panchayats, as he hopped from the Benaulim coastal belt to Chinchinim on Saturday, Pillai assured to look into the issues before intimating the government to resolve the problems.
While addressing the sarpanchas, deputy sarpanchas, besides panch members of the seven panchayats in Benaulim constituency and later at Chichinim, where Sarpanchas of Velim constituency handed over their petitions, the Governor reminded them that the Raj Bhavan is not an executive authority. At the same time, however, Pillai asserted the governor is not helpless in addressing the issues, promising that his Secretary will go through the representations. “We will look into the various aspects pointed out by the village representatives and we will inform the government on the proper things. We will try our level best to work out a solution along with the MLA if there is a problem”, he said. He added: “Within the limits as a governor, I would like to do maximum for the poor people and the suffering patients”.
The MLAs of Benaulim and Velim represented by Aam Admi Party MLAs, Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva respectively accompanied the governor during his visit to their respective constituencies.
The controversial track doubling project was highlighted by newly-elected Sao Jose de Areal Sarpanch Joycee Dias when she urged the governor to direct the authorities not to allow unsustainable profit driven projects like the double tracking of South Western Railways, real estate speculations, polluting industries and to instead restore the sustainable, self-sustaining Swayampurna village.
At Benaulim, Sarpanch Xavier Pereira made an impassioned plea to the Governor to implore upon the government to reconsider its decision to construct the Western Bypass on embankments in Benaulim and protect the village and villagers from the disasters of environmental destruction by building the bypass on stilts.
In the representation submitted to the governor, Orlim Sarpanch Simon Pereira demanded the de-notification of the Port limit of river Sal marked near the 455 years old St Michael Church, Orlim, saying navigation activities in the vicinity of such a heritage monument will put the structure to threat, besides posing a grave threat to the riverine life, which supports the livelihood of the farmers and the community.
Addressing panchayat members of Benaulim at the Carmona panchayat hall, the governor said the Constitution makes the people supreme and all other authorities are committed to serve the people. “We all have to work for the betterment of the people since they are supreme. This is one
objective behind undertaking the Goa village tour program 10 months ago. I have covered around 60 per cent of the villages and the remaining villages will be covered within five months”, he said.
Saying that Goa’s natural beauty is attracting people from across the globe, the Governor said he has realized that tourism is being developed in such a fashion by maintaining nature.
The governor later had an interaction with the representatives of the panchayats in Velim, wherein the sarpanchas submitted their petitions and representations highlight the problems plaguing the villages.
He paid a visit to the Our Lady of Merces Church, Colva and Our Lady of Hope, Chinchimim before undertaking his tour of the two constituencies.
