MARGAO: Salcete citizens and panchayats placed various grievances before the State government at the Prashasan Tumcha Dari function held on Friday, which covered the need for increased funding for panchayats, the lack of government job allocation to Xaxtikars and the delays on the part of the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) in resolving long-pending issues.
Camurlim Sarpanch Basilio Fernandes raised the issue of how weaker panchayats do not have adequate funds to carry out trimming of tree branches or bushes along the highway, despite how important the task is.
Chinchinim-Deussua Sarpanch Valentino Barretto touched upon how the panchayats have not received funds that are supposed to be sent to them for the Swachh Bharat mission. Barretto also said the proposed new house tax is too high and said it should be lowered. He also submitted memorandums about the bypass issue and the Market Complex cum panchayat ghar project.
A Salcete resident questioned why all government jobs were allegedly going only to residents of Sattari and Valpoi and why there is no equal distribution across the 40 constituencies, given that Salcete residents have been missing out. This statement led to a lot of laughter both from the audience and the members on the dais, which included MLAs.
Amongst the many other issues raised at the function, a resident from Navelim, who came in a wheelchair, questioned why the Margao civic body was not settling an old issue pertaining to land acquisition for a road. MMC Chairperson Damodar Shirodkar reasoned that the matter is sub-judice.
