Team Herald
SIOLIM: The gram sabha of the Siolim-Sodiem village panchayat commenced on a stormy note, with villagers criticising the administrative setup that has rendered gram sabhas ineffective and likened them to a "toothless tiger”. The voices of rural residents appeared to be stifled and suppressed, argued the members.
However, as tensions eased, the villagers focused on pressing issues such as agriculture, drug abuse among youth, and the need for educational improvements.
The villagers urged the sarpanch Deepa Pednekar to present every resolution submitted to the relevant departments at the next gram sabha and to provide updates on the follow-up actions taken by the panchayat. The discussion on the non-implementation of gram sabha resolutions arose during talks about banning swimming pools in the village for the benefit of local residents. The villagers expressed that they had received enough verbal assurances and now required written commitments.
Criticism was directed at the Parra model of development, alongside the government’s inconsistent promises regarding a continuous water supply. “We have enough natural water bodies in our village; there are numerous options to ensure water is readily available to us. It is shameful that while we discuss flyovers and major roads for the next 25 years, we cannot guarantee a regular water supply at present," stated Bio diversity Chairperson Peter De Sousa.
The community unanimously agreed that swimming pools should be opposed, asserting that they are unnecessary in Sodiem and that authorities must heed to this message.
The Secretary informed the members that the panchayat had issued a demolition order the builder for sinking a bore well for construction purpose at Chuna vaddo. The villagers were cynical of the WRD for turning a Nelson’s eye to illegalities in command area.
The villagers also raised concerns about the mandatory contribution of Rs 10 lakhs from each builder towards the Corporate Social Responsibility fund, advocating for this amount to be allocated for the education of girls and marginalised children. They noted that while the govt speaks of student loans, accessing these loans has become prohibitively expensive and laden with bureaucratic hurdles.
De Sousa told the members to lay more stress on youth and called on them to use their good offices to educate youth and provide jobs to them.
“We don’t want the government to create a class of parasites by giving a free ration rice and doles. Give our youth jobs so that every family has an earning member who shoulders responsibilities as good citizen of the nation,” he said adding that only then we will head for development.
The issue of youth delinquency was highlighted, with De Souza questioning the effectiveness of various government schemes aimed at young people. They observed that while the village is developing in terms of construction, there has been no corresponding growth in the youth's mindset. The promotion of a culture of handouts has led many young people to avoid work, resulting in increased drug use, gambling, and alcohol consumption. Incidents of vandalism, such as breaking glass bottles, have become commonplace. They demanded that the police raid bars where gambling was rampant.
Members of the gram sabha felt that the government should at least provide one job per family, noting disparities where politically connected families often secured multiple government jobs while others struggled to find employment.
Zenobia Kamat raised concern about builders employing bouncers to protect their properties, which the villagers opposed.
In discussions about agriculture, villagers expressed frustration with the government's rhetoric on farming, stating that in reality, it has been ineffective. They lamented the lack of available land for cultivation due to damage caused by Tillari and frequent flooding. They questioned the purpose of Tillari water, intended for irrigation, if it ultimately harms farming. The villagers suggested inviting Tillari officials for a dialogue, but when informed by the sarpanch that previous correspondence had yielded no results, they proposed serving a legal notice to the officials.
Kamat advocated for the preservation of the village's flora and fauna and the prohibition of swimming pools, suggesting that counselling sessions be organised for youth who have strayed into unhealthy and anti-social behaviours.
Deputy Sarpanch Nilesh Vaingankar received commendation for his efforts to ensure that underprivileged students benefit from educational funds. Two women, Sarpanch Deepa Naik and Secretary Navnaya Goltekar responsible for impounding stray cattle were also recognised for their contributions. The budget for 2025-2026 was also passed with all proposals for development.
De Sousa and gram sabha member Pramod Pednekar brought it to the notice of the gram sabha about government plans to widen the existing Sodiem main road to 25 metres, classifying it as a Major District Road (MDR). Villagers unanimously opposed this proposal, questioning its necessity and expressing concern over potential destruction to properties adjacent to the road. "We don’t want such wide roads, nor do we want the Parra model of development in our village," the villagers asserted.
Elders reliant on agriculture voiced their frustrations regarding the increasing monkey population, which they attributed to rampant construction. They reported that monkeys have encroached on residential areas, damaging crops and threatening local livelihoods. The villagers called for the government and forest department to take decisive action against this issue, suggesting that monkeys be classified as vermin if necessary.