Local John Rodrigues raised and highlighted the seriousness of the lake issue. He stated, “The residents are suffering due to mosquitoes breeding in the ‘Nag Tollem’. Despite assurances by the panchayat to look into the matter, nothing has been done.”
Local Apoxin Vaz and others supported Rodrigues and urged the sarpanch to resolve the issue. Replying to them, panch member Blaise Fernandes said, “We took up the matter with the Water Resources Department on a couple of occasions, but there seems to be some political fallout between the MLA of Calangute and Minister for Water Resources which has prolonged the issue.
Our Ex MLA Agnelo Fernandes has now taken up the matter with the concerned minister and it will be resolved soon.”
Local Joe D’Costa raised the issue of sewage discharged by a hotelier at Dando and sought to know the status of the matter. Fernandes replied that the site was inspected and the hotelier claimed that his hotel wasn’t discharging any sewage. Panch member Dharmendra Kandolkar informed that he had told the hotelier that the sewerage was indeed being discharged from latter’s hotel. Fernandes assured to look into the matter.
Local Sushant Lotlikar claimed that another hotel was discharging sewage and questioned the panchayat as to why no prompt action was initiated in issues affecting Candolim locals. There was heated discussion over the matter, with a few gram sabha members supporting Lotlikar.
Fernandes said the panchayat was doing its best to resolves issues, but at times they were bound by laws.
Local Minguel Francisco Fernandes questioned sarpanch Sandra Fialho on why the panchayat hadn’t taken any action against the stink being generated by garbage at the dumping site in Aradi.
After a heated discussion, Fialho replied, “The panchayat has written to Goa State Pollution Control Board. In a few months, the garbage will be shifted to the new plant at Calangute/Saligao.” She requested the villagers to bear with them until then.
The issues of street lights, bad roads, taxi’s parking on roads, shifting of casinos to Aguada Bay, among others, were also discussed. A resolution to oppose the shifting of casinos to Candolim was also passed.
