MAPUSA
In a passionate gram sabha meeting, the villagers of Tivim raised pressing concerns about the use of panchayat funds and the ambiguity surrounding the new bypass road alignment from Sirsaim to Karasvaddo, Mapusa.
The meeting saw strong demands for a vigilance inquiry into the funds spent by the panchayat on refurbishing a library owned by a private entity.
Library controversy: The refurbishment of the library, which was funded by the panchayat, has become a contentious issue. It was revealed that the library in question is not a panchayat library but is owned by ‘Saraswati Vachanalaya,’ a private organization.
This information was confirmed by a letter from the Department of Art and Culture, which stated that the library belongs to a private entity and not the panchayat.
Upset villagers accused the panchayat of misleading the public and misusing public funds. They have called for a proper investigation and a vigilance inquiry into the matter, especially since the refurbishment work was undertaken during the tenure of Arjun Aroskar.
Notably, Aroskar and four other members of the opposition group were absent from the Gram Sabha on Sunday.
Bypass road concerns: Another major issue discussed was the alignment of the new bypass road from Karasvaddo to Mulgao, which passes through Tivim.
Local resident Robert Colaco voiced concerns about the lack of information regarding the road’s alignment and its impact on the villagers.
“There is no information whatsoever on the alignment of the bypass that passes through our village and who is getting affected. Our panchayat has no plans of the alignment. We need to know the alignment to avoid confusion later,” Colaco stated.
He urged the panchayat to write to the Public Works Department (PWD) to obtain detailed alignment plans to clear any doubts among the villagers.
Flooding issues: The recent flooding at Paina-vaddo, Tivim, which resulted in water entering several houses, was another critical issue raised during the meeting.
Some locals attributed the flooding to the faulty construction of a bridge in the area three years ago. Additionally, rubble dumped near the sluice gate was cited as a contributing factor.
In response, the Gram Sabha resolved to propose the construction of a retaining wall from the church to Paina-vaddo.
This proposal will be sent to the Water Resources Department. Furthermore, the assembly resolved to carry out desilting at the mouth of the sluice gate to ensure smooth water flow.
Tenant verification: Colaco also emphasized the need for tenant verification in the village to monitor the growing migrant population.
Tivim Sarpanch, Venkatesh Shirodkar, informed the villagers that the government is planning to introduce a bill to make tenant verification compulsory, which would place additional responsibilities on landlords.
