MAPUSA
The villagers of Sirsaim at the gram sabha on Sunday raised issues concerning the environment and demanded accountability on various tasks taken up by the panchayat.
The villagers also addressed issues such as objections against the neighbouring panchayat’s MRF facility, garbage management, and problems arising from the release of wastewater into public drains.
Additionally, the panchayat secretary informed the villagers about upcoming public hearings scheduled for March 15 and March 20 concerning mining activities, urging them to review the project report and submit objections or suggestions.
The gram sabha was presided over by Sarpanch Daya Fadte.
A local, Vidhyadhar Bhagat, proposed the demand for desilting and cleaning of existing ponds within the fields’ area, as well as the cleaning of drains and nullahs in the village, through the Water Resources Department.
Another local, Manoj Haldankar, emphasized the need to assess the impact of mining activities on the village, particularly highlighting concerns about the utilization of the village’s jetty for loading purposes.
He noted discrepancies in the project report, highlighting the absence of significant structures like the Tillari canal and Assonora treatment plant, both within close proximity to the village.
The villagers stressed the importance of pursuing sustainable development that considers both the welfare of the villagers and the potential impacts of mining activities on the village.
During the meeting, Sirsaim Panchayat presented its annual budget for 2023-24, prompting criticism from villagers who deemed it unrealistic.
They questioned the budget’s lack of systematic planning and raised concerns about inaccurate figures.
A villager, Hemant Kambli, drew attention to discrepancies in the handling of finances, citing instances where vouchers lacked necessary details and revealing discrepancies in the accounts.
Furthermore, villagers inquired about pending audit reports.
The Panchayat secretary acknowledged that audits for the years 2019-2020 had been completed but admitted delays in the subsequent years’ audits due to incomplete bookkeeping, as per the auditor’s observations.
Following discussions, it was agreed that the Panchayat would seek expert assistance to rectify and complete the accounts, with a commitment to revising the budget accordingly.
