NEGLECTED, FORGOTTEN AND ISLOLATED, SANGUEM IS A FAR CRY OF MODERN GOA
ALFRED FERNANDES
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SANGUEM: It is responsible for supplying potable water to most parts of south Goa, but this remote and neglected constituency finds itself in short supply of most facilities that would make people happy.
Sanguem constituency comprises Rivona, Malkarnen, Uguem, Bhati, Kurdi-Waddem, Neturlim, Pirla and Sanguem Municipal Council.
Visit to Sanguem constituency and reality hits you hard in the face. The constituency has poor education, health and employment facilities, with little improvement to the existing infrastructure in years.
Successive governments have openly admitted that Sanguem constituency has remained undeveloped, but voters also curse their luck for electing a candidate who largely remained in the Opposition.
During the last three assembly terms, Sanguem constituency was represented by a BJP MLA, prompting the Congress-led governments to virtually ignore the demands of the residents.
Employment, or rather the lack of it, remains a key issue in the constituency.
Except for employment in the agricultural sector and in mining-related activities, there has been no other employment generating activity in the constituency.
Poor educational facilities in remote areas have affected employability of rural youth. They are forced to travel long distances to pursue higher education and in most cases, this is simply not possible due to meagre income of people surviving on agriculture.
Health facilities have also suffered in the constituency. There has been no improvement in facilities at the government-run health centre at Sanguem, which has been nick-named first aid clinic.
“In most cases, patients brought to the health centre are shifted either to Hospicio in Margao or GMC Hospital in Bambolim. The Sanguem PHC has spacious premises to be equipped with desired facilities, but the government needs to revamp the entire health centre,” said Deepak Marathe.
Marathe also felt the need for labour-oriented industries in the constituency.
“Except for a couple of highly polluting industries in the area, there is no industry in the constituency that can provide employment to local youth,” he said.
“Lack of labour-oriented industries in the locality has restricted the youth to agriculture and mining activities,” added Marathe.
