MARGAO
With the Indian Railways in an expansion mode, the Seraulim gram sabha on Sunday demanded proper demarcation and marking of the area acquired by the railways before any expansion project is undertaken along the stretch passing through the village.
The meeting has resolved that the land below the western bypass passing through the village should be restored to its original condition before the onset of monsoons.
With the government promising to make available drinking water supply only for four hours, members of the gram sabha demanded a stop to the development of multi-dwelling units in the village.
At the gram sabha chaired by deputy Sarpanch Leslie Dourado on Sunday, members also stressed on the need to reviving well water for the drinking purpose. Gram sabha member Kevin D’Souza stressed on the need for the restoration of the Western Bypass Area. “With the commissioning of the western bypass, it is imperative that the haphazard filling done by the PWD for hosting the contractor’s equipment is restored to its original state. This restoration should be completed before the monsoons to help reduce potential crop damage”, he said, fearing that failure to clear the debris may hamper the flow of water.
Raising concerns on water Supply, Kevin pointed out that the Government of Goa has confirmed that the drinking water supply will be limited to only our hours a day.
“Considering this, it is crucial to halt the construction of multi-dwelling units in Goa/Seraulim. Additionally, as a panchayat, we must focus on reviving well water for drinking purposes, as it will become a primary source moving forward. He has further called for the closure of all bundhs and sluice gates to facilitate water harvesting.
Members also raised concerns over the drainage issue at the railway underpass, saying the issue remains unaddressed and needs urgent attention before the onset of the monsoon season.
After Kevin and other members sought for an update on the progress of the Panchayat Ghar, acting Sarpanch Leslie said the government has promised to appointed a consultant for the panchayat ghar in the next 2-3 months.
“Once the consultant prepared the plan and the design of the Panchayat ghar, the same will be placed before the gram sabha before the project is tendered”, he later told the media.
Leslie further said that the gram sabha has accorded approval for the budget estimates for the financial year 2025-26 with members calling for higher allocation for sports activities.
