ASSAGAO: The departments of Health and TCP came in the line of fire at the Siolim- Marna gram sabha yesterday with memberscharging that both these departments were ineffective and not people centric.
Siolim PHC sanitary inspector Shripad Gauns who was present for the gram sabha was grilled by members and alleged that the official was incompetent in discharging his duties.
Villagers showed him footages of several hotels and commercial establishments discharging sewage in the open and questioned him as to whether he was awareof the nuisance.
Panch member Sharmila Vernekar also accused the sanitary inspector of being incompetent while Joaquim Barros, Gregory D’Souza and Anastasio Mendes were quite critical on the way the official was functioning as a sanitary inspector and sought to know what exactly his duty was.
Gauns appeared fumbling for words and found himself at the receiving end as villagers questioned him over inspection of construction sites as dengue cases were reported in Oxel.
Sarpanch Sandesh Hadfadkar also echoed the views of the gram sabha members and felt that issues related to health should not be taken lightly.
Villagers were quite critical of the functioning of the TCP which was rampantly approving projects without checking the ground reality and considering infrastructure of the village.
Locals Kapil Korgaonkar, Suraj Chodancar, Fatima Fernandes, Alex Noronha, Joaquim Barros and other flayed the TCP for being a destructive body and destroying the fabric of the village. A resolution was taken to repeal controversial TCPs Act Section 39A to convert eco zones and felt that it would spell doom for the village.
Barros also had a heated argument with a local panch member Simpal Dhargalkar who was not acting tough against a megaproject in her ward. SarpanchSandesh Hadfadkar pointed out that he had stopped a mega project in his ward as it was a burden on the infrastructure.
Barros moved a resolution to impose a ceiling on constructions as the village was reeling under severe electricity and water problem and asserted that VDC should be consulted before NOCs are issue.
A resolution was taken to oppose swimming pools as water a big issue in the village.
Fatima Fernandes sought a resolution on preservation of the Trees Act and felt that the panchayat should strictly enforce this point specially on builders and other people who are rampantly cutting down trees .
The Sarpanchinformed that he would not allowing any filling of low lying areas particularly fields and if there are any instances , they should be brought to his notice for action.
Villagers also sought a resolution to oppose the government’s move to permit wine shops near schools, temples, churches etc and felt that this step of the government was detrimental to the welfare of villages and would permit all types of anti-social activities. Other minor issues affecting the village were also discussed.
