A number of residents from Morjim attend the Gram Sabha on Sunday. Captured by : Nivrutti Shirodkar
PERNEM
The Morjim Gram Sabha on Sunday passed a resolution to discontinue degrading rituals that widows are put through after the demise of their husbands.
At a Gram Sabha chaired by Sarpanch Vaishali Shetgaonkar, it was also resolved not to build any public crematorium in the vicinity of the church at Morjim.
A large number of villagers attended the Gram Sabha at the Kalas Dev Mangar Hall.
A family owns area near the church and had sent a proposal to panchayat offering 500 sq. meters of land to build a public crematorium. The Morjim panchayat area does not have a public crematorium and so, the family was ready to offer land for the crematorium.
However, members of the Catholic community were present in large numbers at the Gram Sabha and submitted a written resolution requesting the panchayat not to build any such crematorium near a religious place such as the church.
Meanwhile, a widow from Herwaad panchayat in Kolhapur had spoken against the degrading rituals performed on widows and residents passed a resolution to discontinue degrading rituals that widows are put through after the demise of their husbands.
Shri Satpurush Village Organisation and Nirbhaya Gram Mahila Seva Sangh had also presented a written resolution in the matter. The organisations insisted that widows be treated on par with other married women.
Issues such as illegal hill cutting, growing number of hotels in Morjim owned by non-Goans, roadside signs, speed breakers and increasing garbage were also discussed at the Gram Sabha.
Deputy Sarpanch Amit Shetgaonkar, panchas Pavan Morje, Vilas Morje, Tushar Shetgaonkar, Mukesh Gadekar, Prakash Shirodkar, Supriya Poke and Sampada Shetgaonkar were present at the Gram Sabha.
