PANAJI
As the Village Panchayat terms are due end soon and the panch members are not interested in discussions, the special Gram Sabhas called on the Panchayat Raj Day at last minute notice to the panchayats in the state turned out to be just a routine exercise.
Some of the people used these Gram Sabhas as a political tool to create ruckus in the Gram Sabhas in order to score political points before the panchayat elections.
On the Panchayat Raj Day, on the directions of the Central government Panchayat Ministry, state panchayats held special Gram Sabhas on Sunday.
Vibrant Panchayat Self Sustained village, Har Ghar Jal and Kisan Credit Card awareness were the topics that were given for discussion in the Gram Sabhas.
However people were not aware of the meeting, also those who were aware didn't get time to prepare for the discussion at the meeting as the meetings were called at the last minute, and political aspirants is learnt created ruckus at some of the meetings keeping no scope for the fruitful discussion.
Assagao-Badem Panchayat which is suffering from water scarcity issue has passed a resolution that the village disagrees with the government Har Ghar Jal claim that each and every household has got water connection.
"80 percent of houses which have water connections are not getting adequate supply of water. And in areas like Badem many applications for new water connections are pending with the PWD department. In this scenario passing a resolution agreeing with the government Har ghar Jal scheme is not correct," said Hanumant Naik, Sarpanch of Assagao-Badem Panchayat.
"We don't want a Har Ghar Jal certificate for the village," said Naik.
The village Panchayat of Socorro decided to survey the houses which do not have water connections to take further decisions, informed Satish Gauns, Secretary of Succoro Village Panchayat.
We also had discussion of Vibrant Gram Sabha to select three themes for the village, said Gauns.
Benaulim Panchayat passed a resolution to take schemes to every house and through Har Ghar Jal scheme try to reach water to every house.
People and activists however has grievances that the special Gram Sabha notice was given at last minute and most of the people were not aware of the meeting.
"I was not aware of the meeting. So I did not attend the meeting", said Panchayat Raj activist Sotter D'souza.
He said the Gram Sabha now has become just an routine exercise as Panchayats have no powers in terms of planning for the village.
"When we are promoting development by damaging nature and destroying traditional occupations, how will we attain the self-sustaining village," asked D'Souza.
Vibran Panchayat Self Sustained Village itself is contradictory with the present development approach of the government, he said.
