the goan I network
MARGAO
Villagers in attendance at the gram sabha also strongly favoured a health centre and a panchayat ghar. The villagers were also informed that the panchayat will commence door-to-door collection of dry waste in the village from August 1.
Chaired by Colva sarpanch Antonio Fernandes, the gram sabha also pitched strongly for the health centre. It was informed that the 24-hour health centre has been approved by the Goa government under the ‘Mojem Goem, Mozo Gaun' scheme. It was informed that the health centre is proposed to come up in the property belonging to the Tourism Department somewhere near the beach.
However, the department is yet to hand over the place to the panchayat authorities to enable the latter act in this matter, stated the sarpanch. Some locals also demanded an Action Taken Report in this matter by the panchayat authorities while also calling for coordinated efforts by the panchayat and the local MLA in this regard.
The issue pertaining to the panchayat ghar also came up for discussion at the gram sabha. The sarpanch informed that the planned panchayat ghar will be renovated at the existing panchayat premises. The panchayat ghar has been approved by the BDO and the panchayat authorities will now engage architects to draw up the plan for this ghar, informed sarpanch Fernandes. A section of the locals were also of the view that the plan for this ghar be kept open for perusal by the villagers. Some locals opposed the suggestion by some villagers for acquiring private property for the construction of the panchayat ghar while some others were also of the view that open space be utilised for the same, which, however, did not find favour with the villagers as they claimed that such open spaces provided by the builders are for use by the respective apartment users and not for the general public.
The removal of Traffic Cell from Colva was strongly voiced by the gram sabha.Locals claimed that the same was causing a hindrance for the tourists as well as the villagers. Locals prevailed on the panchayat authorities to give a deadline to the traffic authorities for the shifting of the Traffic Cell to some other constituency, by pointing out to the raising of this matter by local MLA Churchill Alemao in the Assembly session.
the goan I network
MAPUSA
Registering strong objection to nationalization of rivers in the State, Assagao gram sabha on Sunday resolved to oppose nationalisation of river Chapora which flows through Siolim constituency.
Taking the initiative to move the resolution opposing nationalisation of rivers, Sarpanch, Jallindar Goankar said the move will spell doom for small-time fishermen and to those who depend on rivers for their livelihood.
"Nationalisation of rivers will devastate the fishing community and lives of the people who depend on these rivers will also be affected very badly," Gaonkar said expressing his opposition to the government's move to nationalize rivers in Goa.
It may be recalled that the Goa Forward Party in the past had expressed apprehensions over the Union Government's proposal to nationalise six rivers in the State fearing that it might adversely affect the livelihood of fishing community.
Raising the issue of works carried out by the Water Resources Department, some locals told the gram sabha that the works taken up during the last MLA's term were done haphazardly.
Some of the works like nullahs, bundhs and irrigation canals have turned out to be white elephants leading to waste of public funds, the gram sabha members informed.
Concurring on the issue, the sarpanch said WRD during the former MLA's term never informed the panchayat whenever works were carried out in the village.
The villagers said the panchayat should ensure that henceforward if any of the departments want to undertake works in the village, they should keep the local panchayat updated.
Some people raised the issue of poor BSNL broadband facility in the village.
To tide over the problem, the sarpanch informed that it would be advisable to allow a mobile phone tower in remote area of the village.
The sarpanch also informed that the post office would soon be shifted to the panchayat office for the convenience of the people.
