PORVORIM
Water scarcity, open gutters, the narrow road network and the continued closure of washrooms at the Betim Ferry wharf were among the issues raised during the Reis Magos panchayat gram sabha held on Sunday.
Sarpanch Sushmita Pednekar welcomed the gathering, following which Panchayat Secretary Peter Martins read out the minutes of the previous gram sabha meeting.
Resident John Aguiar highlighted the acute shortage of water being faced by residents and urged the Panchayat to take steps to address the problem. Sarpanch Pednekar said the 15 MLD water treatment plant at Pilerne was nearing completion and was expected to be commissioned by November or December 2026. She said the water pipeline had already been laid and expressed hope that once the plant became operational, households would receive an adequate supply of water.
Residents also raised concerns over open gutters in parts of wards 7, 8 and 9 and demanded that they be covered with slabs. They said the roads in these areas were narrow and accidents occurred at night when vehicles had to pass close to the open gutters.
Pednekar said covering the gutters with slabs was the responsibility of the Public Works Department (PWD). She said the Panchayat had written to the PWD several times requesting that slabs be installed and the gutters closed, but no action had been taken. She said the Panchayat had therefore decided to purchase 500 slabs to cover the open gutters.
The continued closure of the washrooms near the Betim Ferry wharf was also discussed. Residents said more than a year had passed since the washrooms were inaugurated, but they had still not been opened for public use. They said the absence of toilet facilities was causing inconvenience to locals and tourists, particularly those using the ferry area.
The Sarpanch clarified that the washrooms had been constructed by the River Navigation Department (RND), but their maintenance remained an issue. She said the Panchayat would write to the RND requesting that the facility be handed over to the Panchayat, which would then take responsibility for its maintenance.
Residents also raised allegations of construction activity taking place at night in ward 7 and claimed that non-Goans were involved. The Panchayat Secretary assured the gathering that the matter would be brought to the notice of the police and appropriate action would be sought. He said the Panchayat did not encourage illegal construction.
Martins said the Panchayat had issued demolition notices against seven bungalows, but the matters had been pending before the court for the past three years. He added that one of the bungalows was owned by a Union Cabinet minister.
The poor attendance at gram sabhas was also highlighted. Residents suggested that the Panchayat should undertake wider publicity by putting up banners at strategic locations to encourage greater participation. They also demanded that video recording of gram sabha proceedings be carried out to ensure transparency and maintain a record of the discussions.
