MARGAO: Burdened with unresolved issues that have cast a shadow over the village, coupled with the absence of regular gram sabhas for open discussions, the residents of Sao Jose de Areal have opted to escalate their concerns to higher authorities.
The villagers highlighted their grievances about the panchayat’s lacklustre performance and alleged that their local representatives have failed to address these issues over the past years. With the backing of the local MLA, the villagers are set to engage in dialogues with the Block Development Officer, aiming to safeguard their village from various illegitimate activities.
The records indicate that the Sao Jose de Areal village panchayat has faltered in conducting gram sabhas for several months in the past. Furthermore, the gram sabhas that were conducted often devolved into chaos and were eventually adjourned.
Among the challenges voiced by the villagers, the burden of nearly 300 industrial units, 50 scrap yards, and around 50 stone-crushers emerged as major sources of pollution in the village.
Fredy Travasso, a villager and social activist, lamented, “Due to the dysfunctional panchayat and the absence of meaningful gram sabhas, pressing issues impacting the community remain unresolved. It is evident that the panchayat is not responsive to our grievances.”
Travasso elaborated on the extensive list of problems plaguing the village, including land disputes, alleged illegal plots, unauthorised hill cutting and industrial pollution, among others.
“We have repeatedly appealed to the panchayat to listen to our grievances and suggestions, but they remain dismissive of the villagers’ concerns, despite our complaints to the authorities,” Travasso stated.
He further criticised the panchayat’s lack of urgency in finding solutions to address the pollution that is negatively impacting public health. Additionally, Travasso noted that court orders addressing these violations are being disregarded.
Peter Viegas, another resident, pointed out that due to the lack of alternatives, they have decided to engage with the BDO and escalate the matter to higher authorities. “We are scheduled to meet with the BDO soon to discuss these issues and the panchayat’s functionality. We hope for some relief after this meeting,” he asserted.
the Sarpanch of the Sao Jose de Areal panchayat, dismissed the accusations by saying that a group of villagers were making unfounded allegations. “I am on leave currently and unable to provide further details on the topic,” she said, declining to comment further.
