Panch Pramod Phaldessai though present preferred to take a seat among the gram sabha members, as Deputy Sarpanch Fenny Miranda chaired the meeting in his capacity as acting sarpanch.
Few members taking their ire on elected members for showing lack of interest in the local body sought to put the blame squarely on elected representatives for loss of interest among the villagers, who refuse to attend any gram sabhas, especially during this term.
“The elected representatives show interest in panchayat only during tourism season, where the local body issue licenses/NOCs to conduct tourism trade,” claimed a member, Narayan Dessai.
The members said non-implementation of a single developmental work in the village for past several years is the prime reason why villagers have lost interest in attending gram sabhas. It is also a matter of concern that not a single elected representative informs his ward residents of the scheduled gram sabha, except for putting up public notices at one or two public places.
“While five out of the six panchayats will execute as many as 48 different developmental works in the constituency, Agonda is the only panchcyat which does not have even one work listed among them,” informed Dessai quoting a list of developmental works purused by Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar.
A villager complaining that PWD supply turbid water, brought along and displayed a mud filled water bottle, which according to him he collected from his tap.
The sarpanch agreed to lead villagers’ delegation to the PWD (water supply) Canacona on Monday evening.
It may be recalled that in June, the gram sabha had to be called off after only acting sarpanch was present and no other member attended the meeting.
