GRASSROOTS GOVERNANCE IN ACTION: Local resident Dr Sandip Naik puts forth a suggestion during the gram sabha meeting at Nachinola on Sunday, as villagers deliberated key issues affecting the community.
MAPUSA
Residents of Nachinola on Sunday unanimously opposed the proposed 25-metre wide road expansion project, citing the threat it poses to homes, small businesses and the livelihoods of daily wage earners.
The villagers passed a resolution during the gram sabha meeting to restrict the road width to just 6 metres, urging authorities to reconsider the plan.
The resolution was moved by local resident Satish Govekar, who warned that the widening project would lead to the demolition of several roadside houses and disrupt the fragile local economy that depends heavily on the village’s current infrastructure.
He called on the panchayat to immediately write to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department to register the villagers’ objection under the Regional Plan.
“We are not against development, but it should not come at the cost of our homes and livelihoods,” Govekar said, adding that the government should consider issuing an ordinance to protect heritage homes and the families that reside in them.
The gram sabha also saw concerns raised over the village’s Material Recovery Facility (MRF) shed, which remains non-functional even three months after its inauguration.
Villagers questioned the delay in making the facility operational, especially in light of the mounting garbage problem in the area.
Other pressing civic issues were also brought up during the meeting, including the deteriorating condition of village roads riddled with potholes and the increasingly irregular water supply.
Residents demanded immediate action from the relevant authorities to resolve these long-pending problems.
The meeting reflected the growing frustration among locals, who feel that unchecked development and administrative inaction are putting the village’s identity, environment and quality of life at risk.
