Team Herald
PONDA: High drama unfolded on Sunday at the Bethora-Nirankal-Conshem-Codar Gramsabha, which was marred protests for nearly an hour.
A group of villagers boycotted the meeting, voicing concerns over the incomplete garbage treatment plant in Vaidyanagar, Bethora.
Tensions escalated further as locals confronted the Sarpanch about the presence of police personnel at the event.
Sarpanch Madu Khandeparkar, however, dismissed these allegations, stating, “These claims are baseless and politically motivated.” He asserted that the Gramsabha was conducted legally and later presented a list of completed development works.
At the beginning of the meeting, villagers questioned the legality of the gathering, claiming it had not been held within the mandated three-month schedule. One villager said, “This Gramsabha is illegal; it has not been held as per the required time frame, and we will be complaining to the BDO.”
The situation took another turn when police were deployed to the Gramsabha, prompting locals to question the need for such a presence. “Why are the police here?” one villager asked. “Will we be able to freely discuss our issues with them watching over us?” Many expressed concerns that the police presence would stifle open discussion and prevent villagers from freely raising their concerns.
The discontent grew when the secretary began reading the minutes of the previous Gramsabha. A group of locals raised their concerns over the stalled garbage treatment plant in Vaidyanagar, Bethora, which had remained incomplete for two years despite the government’s investment of 50 lakh rupees. Hemant Samant, a villager, voiced his frustration, saying, “The garbage treatment plant is crucial for waste disposal in our area. Despite the resolution passed to complete it with police assistance, the work has ceased.” The protestors boycotted the Gramsabha in frustration, and Samant added, “Many other important development works have been halted, and we have seen no progress.”
The villagers also criticised the Panchayat body for failing to follow up on development works, apart from sending letters to higher authorities. “The Panchayat body is not taking any real action,” said another villager. “They only send letters, but no follow-up has been done.”
Other issues raised included water scarcity, poor road conditions, non-functional CCTV cameras, and the inability to clear scrap yards. One woman highlighted the danger of an overgrown tree in her area, stating, “I have made several complaints, but nothing has been done to remove the dangerous tree in my area.” Villagers also accused certain Panchayat members of being passive and more interested in gaining the Sarpanch position through a "musical chair" approach. “Some Panchayat members seem only interested in rotating the Sarpanch position every year,” a villager remarked.
Sarpanch Madu Khandeparkar rejected all the allegations, labelling them as politically motivated. He explained, “The delay in the Gramsabha by two days was due to the intention to present the budget. If the budget had not been presented, a separate Gramsabha would have been required.” He also clarified, “The secretary is responsible for two panchayats, and the presence of a BDO representative confirms the meeting’s legality.”