the goan I network
MAPUSA
The power department never had it so bad. After facing protests over power outage and load shedding, the department was back in the spotlight “ now, for non-functional streetlights.
At Sunday’s gram sabha, Camurlim locals informed that many of the LED streetlights in the village were not working making it risky for villagers to travel during the nights.
Interestingly, the villagers informed that some of the LED lights were found to be on even during the day time.
“In many areas the streetlights with LED fixtures are not functioning while at some places the streetlights remain on even during the day. The electricity department does not entertain our complains stating that the contract of streetlights has been entrusted to a private party,” a gram sabha member said.
A local, Bernad D’Souza said when village roads remain in the dark it paints the local panchayat in poor light and urged the sarpanch to urgently take up the matter with the department concerned to resolve the problem.
Sarpanch, Vishant Gaonkar, informed that electricity department’s linesmen don’t mind attending to complains during the day but not so during the night.
“We will take up the matter of non-functioning of the streetlights with the authority concerned,” Gaonkar assured the gram sabha.
A local, Lourdes D’Cruz, informed that the Camurlim-Cunhelim road had turned into a waste dumping ground as most people dumped waste by the roadside.
“The entire Camurlim-Cunhelim road has turned into a dumping zone with motorists and people bringing garbage in plastic bags and dump it by the side of the road,” D’Cruz said.
She said due to this activity the number of street dogs has increased in the vicinity putting lives of locals at risk.
She urged the panchayat to take action against defaulters and impose fines against them. The sarpanch assured to look into the matter and take swift and strict action against those who are involved in dumping waste along the roadside.
Several locals raised the issue of water scarcity in the village and asked the panchayat to take up the matter with the PWD (water supply).
Earlier panchayat secretary, Manjita Phadte read out the annual panchayat and administrative report at the meeting, which was later passed by the gram sabha.
There was a low turnout for the gram sabha meeting.
