TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: Show of interest in the gram sabhas is dwindling not only among the villagers, but even many elected representatives (panchas) prefer to stay away from the meetings.
On Sunday, only two elected representatives, acting sarpanch and panch Tipu Pagui, attended Agonda gram sabha, while about 40 villagers attended the gram sabha.
Sarpanch Navneeta Naik Gaunkar is on leave with Deputy Sarpanch Fenny Miranda handling the chair. The other three panchas, besides a vacant seat due to demise of a member in the seven-member panchayat failed to attend the gram sabha.
According to sources in the panchayat, except for acting Sarpanch Miranda, none attended the customary previous day local body meeting, which is held for preparation of the gram sabha, forcing cancellation of the meeting on Saturday.
Members present for the gram sabha complained of improper road signs doting the village road, especially the entry points and called for cleaning of garbage thrown by picnickers at Val beach in the village.
The members called for honouring the assurances’ of road works initiated previously and asked for immediate implementation of Dhavalkhazan bridge joining the northern beach to the mainland.
Miranda informed the members that panchayat’s requests to depute officials of Electricity department, PWD (water supply) and PWD (roads) at the village gram sabha were met with silence from the departments concerned and no officials attended on Sunday.
BDO Govind Velip and Panchayat Secretary Damodar Kankonkar were present.
Kankonkar read a government circular for wearing of helmets compulsorily while driving two-wheelers.
