PERNEM: The last gram sabha of Mandrem, before the panchayat elections, was conducted smoothly.
Issues discussed at the meeting included door-to-door garbage collection, tax collection, illegal hill cutting and constructions, mobile towers and water scarcity.
People complained that garbage is not being collected door-to-door properly, as the panchayat has not employed sufficient number of labourers. The villagers said that they would not pay garbage fee since the same is not collected properly. Following this, the gram sabha passed a resolution to terminate the contract of garbage collector.
On the tax front, the gram sabha passed a resolution to collect professional tax as per the area.
When it was brought to the notice of gram sabha that currently there is no room available to accommodate the staff of 108 Ambulance, Panch Subhash Asolkar assured to provide them accommodation.
Appealing to people to protect the hills by preventing construction of villas and apartments, the gram sabha directed the panchayat to enquire into the construction of villas in Ashwem and Junsawada.
After a discussion on beach encroachment and non-payment of tax by Hotel Riva, the meeting passed a resolution to recover tax dues from the hotel and take action against the encroached.
Further, following objections from villagers for a proposed mobile tower, the gram sabha passed a resolution prohibiting mobile towers either on hills or within the residential areas. The panchayat has decided to seek an expert advice on this issue.
When people complained that they have been facing severe water scarcity as they are supplied water only once in two or three days, the panchayat members said that they would contact the assistant engineer concerned and resolve the problem as soon as possible.
