Team Herald
MARGAO: The chaotic gram sabha at Davorlim Dicarpale that in fact was adjourned by the Sarpanch but continued in deference to the peoples’ wishes unanimously resolved against the setting up of an educational hub in the village and asked the panchayat to invite Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and TCP Minister Vijai Sardessai to the village to discuss the matter.
Andrew Rebello raising the matter referred to reports in the media quoting Parrikar and Vijai stating that they would ensure that the education hub would come up in Davorlim. He said that since the villagers are opposed to the project, it would be right to discuss the matter with the two ministers and asked the panchayat to invite them to the village, a demand supported by the nearly 230 people present for the gram sabha.
Pointing out that Survey No 16/1 admeasured 1.46 lakh square metres of which the government has acquired 1,15,200 square metres, he demanded to know what happened to the balance land to which Communidade Attorney Leon Raikar said some of it was acquired by the government for housing board.
Leon also expressed the comunidade’s inability to fence the land as it is already in possession of the government that has acquired the land. He said that the comunidade was willing to return the amount received as compensation provided by the government and get back its land.
Marcelo Colaco’s appeal to keep aside political affiliations and work unitedly to keep the education hub away from the village was greeted with a loud cheer as the political differences had become quite apparent earlier.
Trouble broke out when Johnson accused Deputy Sarpanch Deepak Mangalam of telling a minister that he had stopped garbage collection. Deepak’s supporters were quick on their feet to challenge Johnson to name the minister.
Johnson’s statement that the panch should be beaten with slippers evoked sharp reaction and pandemonium reigned for nearly 20 minutes during which the Sarpanch Flancy Gomes declared the meeting was adjourned and in fact the Secretary Custodio Faria picked up the files and books and was preparing the leave the hall.
However, as the villagers appealed not to adjourn the meeting and to continue the same, the sarpanch let the gram sabha continue after Johnson apologised for his comment about beating. Andrew wondered why the MLA, ex-MLA and Cipru who was aspiring to be the MLA had not extended their support to the villagers in their struggle.
Earlier, former sarpanch Manuel Miranda was asked to approach the Zilla Parishad to resolve his problem of not being paid for the work undertaken by him on a Balwadi in Dicarpale as that project was taken up by the Zilla Panchayat.
The gram sabha also resolved to develop the playground at Dicarpale using its own funds. Incidentally, while the Dicarpale ground has been acquired under the panchayat funds, the grounds at Davorlim and Zoriwada are yet to be handed over to the panchayat.
Responding to Aleixo Borges’ question the Sarpanch said the panchayat has already written to Health Services to take action against those responsible for releasing waste water in the gutters which ultimately ends up in fields where locals grow vegetables.
The panchayat also assured the villagers that they will shortly undertake cleanliness drive all over the village and urged the villagers to recommend people who could be engaged to do the work.
