MAPUSA
Ucassaim Paliem Punola locals on Sunday asked its neighbouring Bastora Panchayat to first take care of its cattle that strays into the territory of Ucassaim Panchayat jurisdiction and urged Mapusa traffic police to clear the roads from vehicular obstruction. Gram Sabha members took offence against neighbouring Bastora Panchayat and the traffic police for writing to Ucassaim Panchayat requesting the villagers not to release their cattle in the open which creates nuisance by destroying paddy fields and obstructing vehicular traffic. The villagers said cattle from Bastora quite frequently strayed into the Ucassaim jurisdiction destroying fields and blocking roads in their village. “Ask the Bastora Panchayat to first put its house in order and stop their stray cattle entering into our area,” said an agitated Cosme Martins, a former sarpanch of Ucassaim. Hitting out at the Mapusa Traffic Police, the former sarpanch questioned whether the traffic personnel were blind to obstruction of traffic on a road near Café Tato on border of Bastora-Ucassaim. “People park vehicles on both sides of the narrow road near the popular Café Tato. What steps have the traffic police taken to curb this menace in the area,” Martins questioned. He further said the traffic police personnel also frequented the restaurant but failed to act on the problem. Earlier, secretary Clifton Azavedo read the letters written by the Bastora Panchayat and Mapusa Traiffic PI requesting the panchayat to inform the residents not to let their cattle loose. “In future, if we find any cattle in our jurisdiction we will impound them and take necessary action without informing anyone,” the Bastora Panchayat had written. The former sarpanch also questioned the panchayat secretary on the motive of one builder in the village, who donated two swing machines to the panchatyat to start tailoring classes for women in the village. “Has the builder acted with a real social concern or has the panchayat done a favour to the builder resulting in a quid pro quo act,” Martins questioned and disclosed that during his term as sarpanch of the village he had denied permission to the builder for various issues. The gram sabha decided to build an iron cage to store dry garbage bags, desilting and cutting of bushes and buy RCC slabs as development works under the 14th Finance Commission.
