SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2024
Gary Azavedo
NAVELIM: Though the State government boasts of having attained an Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, the pitiful condition of the poorly maintained community toilets in some villages of the Salcete Taluka present a different story.
Stressing on the issue, Carmona Panchayat Sarpanch Allwyn Jorge criticised the State BJP government for its attempt to declare Goa as ODF pointing out to the community toilets that have been turned into an eyesore due to lack of maintenance.
“When our Chief Minister Pramod Sawant declared Goa as ODF, community toilets were constructed in every part of the State. These community toilets were built with an objective that the residents not possessing a toilet would utilise them. But till date, neither have these toilets been utilised nor will they be used because there is no electricity or water supply provided to these toilets,” Jorge said.
“Further, the toilet doors are in a precarious condition. All the panchayats across the State had signed up for this proposal of constructing the community toilets to declare their respective wards as ODF. But till date, the people who have paid for these community toilets have not been provided them which appear to be a scam. These community toilets have not been built with a noble intention as they have not been properly constructed or maintained,” he said.
“The authorities should take these community toilets to their homes and use them as they have been constructed not for the public but only to propagate that Goa is ODF. The panchayat members were used with some members’ signatures being forcibly obtained so as to declare Goa as ODF. I request all the legislators to inspect these community toilets and verify if they are being utilised or not else dismantle them,” said Jorge.
Seraulim Sarpanch Leslie Dourado said, “I have received several complaints from the villagers regarding these community toilets as their construction is of very poor quality. While two tanks – soak pit and septic – have to be built only the septic tank has been constructed. The soak pit has not built at various locations in the Seraulim village. I have tried contacting the concerned government department officials but they have not visited the village to inspect and rectify these problems.”
Former Colva sarpanch and present panch member Anthony ‘Mam’ Fernandes Aremarked, “A declaration was forcefully obtained from all our Colva panchas that ‘Colva is ODF’ but practically, there’s no such thing. The toilets sanctioned have no water connection and the basic amenities are not provided in all the wards of Colva village.”
Chinchinim Sarpanch Inacina Rebello said, “The community toilets built by the government authorities under the Open Defecation Free scheme in our Chinchinim village is a good facility but these toilets are shut. They are also still not provided with an electricity and water supply connections.”
A Chinchinim Civic Forum (CCF) member not wishing to be named said, “Two community toilets were built in the Chinchinim market but they are presently non-functional as the electricity and water connections have not been provided to them. The quality of their construction is very bad. It is a big scam of these ODF toilets. The earlier toilets built by Sulabh Sauchalaya were of a good quality and now built of casting material are of a very bad quality.”
Betalbatim Sarpanch Constancio Miranda added, “Yes it’s true there is no electricity and water connections provided to these community toilets that have been poorly constructed in an absolute haste sans any proper supervision.”
However, Varca Sarpanch Crossly Lourenco, Telaulim Sarpanch Steven Goes and Sirlim-Dramapur Sarpanch Sanjana Chari informed that there were no problems regarding these community toilets in their respective jurisdictions.
