Sirlim, Dramapur, Agonda locals root for Dabolim as sole airport
TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO/CANACONA: The Sirlim-Dramapur gram sabha on Sunday unanimously resolved to oppose Mopa airport and to retain the centrally-located Dabolim airport as Goa’s lone airport.
Gram sabha member Domnic Noronha explained the reasons for scrapping Mopa Airport, saying the second airport would be a burden on the exchequer, adding that the people of Goa would loose huge tracts of land satisfy land sharks and some politicians.
Gram sabha members pointed out to the sarpanch Olastrico Rodrigues their grievances regarding electricity problems and bad road conditions in the twin villages, the sarpanch promised that no electricity failure will be faced by the people in future, since the matter was discussed with department engineers. Regarding internal village roads, he stated that the matter has already been taken up with local MLA Benjamin D Silva, who promised to repair and carpet all internal roads.
Delano Da Costa moved proposal that construction license files should be first submitted to the panchayat for approval, and not to the TCP, since it will avoid unnecessary controversies between gram sabha members and panchayat body also adding that undesirable projects which are coming in the village without taking care of infrastructure, environment, or local economies can be rejected at panchayat level.
CANACONA CORRESPONDENT ADDS: Residents of Agonda at Gram Sabha on Sunday unanimously resolved to oppose the proposed Mopa airport and called for suitable expansion and retention of Dabolim airport as the sole airport.
The residents claimed that the proposed Mopa airport will ultimately result in the closure of Dabolim airport and in turn spell a doom for tourism industry in entire South Goa, severely threatening livelihood of many.
The resolution was accordingly moved by Godwin Fernandes, seconded by Vivek Naik Gaunkar and others and was passed unanimously and it was decided to intimate people’ sentiments to the State government.
Informing that a special Gram Sabha needs to be called to elect Village Forest Committee for implementation of Forest Dwellers Act, acting Sarpanch Pramod Phaldessai showed a letter received by the panchayat with government making certain amendments reducing strength of members’ quorum for the same.
It may be recalled that the Agonda Panchayat after holding two poorly attended special Gram Sabhas had informed the government about its inability to elect the Forest Committee as quorum evaded in both the special Gram Sabhas.
“The government has amended the quorum from the required two-thirds to half of the Gram Sabha members as eligible quorum to make appointments of forest committee. The special Gram Sabha will be called shortly,” informed the sarpanch.
The Agonda Gram Sabha also passed a resolution to convene a special Gram Sabha requesting the presence of Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar and all the government officers as taluka heads of respective departments like PWD (roads/water supply), Electricity, Irrigation (WRD), BDO (RDA projects, etc), to discuss implementation of various proposals on developmental and other works submitted by the panchayat following resolutions in past Gram Sabhas.
The sarpanch is authorized to facilitate the availability of Minister Tawadkar and invite government department taluka heads and organize the special Gram Sabha at an early date. Incidentally, members were piqued that none of the resolutions passed in previous Gram Sabhas are implemented.
“It’s wastage of time and energy to attend Gram Sabhas, discuss issues and pass resolutions, if there is no outcome,” said a member.
It is also decided to write to the LPG company to clear confusion being created by the HP dealer in the taluka about the actual period considered for limitation of subsidized LPG cylinders.
Finding the increasing difficulties of water supply, members called for construction of a mini-dam or clear the water supply anarchy by proper augmentation of water supply from the Chaopli dam.
Sarpanch Pramod Phaldessai explained various schemes which people can avail if they are eligible, while members also criticized the partisan works taken up by irrigation department in the village rivulets, where protection walls are constructed only on one side keeping the ends vulnerable for erosions.
