Essential and public utility services like postal services are far from satisfactory and less cared for in the villages of Assagao and Siolim causing considerable inconvenience to locals and tourists. The post office in the Village of Assagao is functioning from the house of the Postman while in Siolim, the Post Office is ill-equipped putting those availing the essential services in a lot of hardship.
For more than five years now, the Post Office at Assagao has been virtually functioning from the residence of the Postman since the time the local body decided not to accommodate it in the complex of the Village Panchayat of Assagao. The members of the local body felt the Post Office was a liability to the Village Panchayat of Assagao as it did not generate any income through rent, etc.
The elders of the village, as well as foreign tourists have been facing difficulties in locating and getting their work done at the Assagao Post Office. The Post Office has been running as a mere formality of essential services.
Sarpanch Priyanka Sangelkar admitted that the panch members were not in agreement to allow the post office to function from the Panchayat premises as it did not generate any income for the Panchayat body.
The Postal Services are no better in another nearby Post Office at Siolim which has been shifted to Siolim Tar at an inconvenient location for the villagers. The Siolim Post Office is ill-equipped with inadequate staff, furniture, etc. though it caters to five villages.
Recently a delegation of village elders from Siolim and Assagao led by senior citizen Ida Fonseca called on the Assistant Post Master General at Panjim and informed him of poor postal services at Assagao and Siolim. He patiently heard and assured to look into the matter and agreed to depute the Postal Superintendent from Mapusa for a thorough enquiry and possible action. Meanwhile, the elders of both the villages wait in hope that the essential services would get a much required uplift.
