Team Herald
PONDA: With the Assembly elections approaching, Pondaitees are complaining of several issues in the Ponda constituency and want the new representative to solve them on priority basis as these problems are haunting them since decades.
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Out of the several these four are the most urgent: 1. Upgradation of Ponda sub-district hospital, 2. Parking problem, 3. Bringing employment oriented industries at Bethora Industrial Estate and 4. Good roads.
Social activist Viraj Sapre said that the top priority for Pondaitees is upgradation of Ponda Sub District Hospital. “I am surprised over how this hospital failed to provide major health facilities despite its renovation and reconstruction a decade ago. It should be either converted into district hospital or the facilities provided at Goa Medical College Hospital (GMC) should be provided here”, he demanded.
“Despite Ponda being the centre of the State, the Sub-District Hospital lacks main health facilities. We have to completely rely on GMC hospital for getting all health facilities. Patients are referred to GMC even for a minor ailment. In the absence of CT scan people approach private hospitals and spent thousands of rupees. The hospital should be equipped with a CT scan machine, blood bank, MRI machine and experienced doctors”, Sapre said.
Another major problem faced by the locals is shortage of parking space, which is causing traffic congestion in the town. There is shortage of parking space especially at main market, State Bank of India, the stretch from Dada Vaidya Chowk to Upper Bazaar, near Almeida School, Varkhandem, Tisk Ponda, etc. The locals of the taluka have demanded a proper demarcation of parking space for vehicles of consumers, vendors and shop owners at these places.
Sapre feels opening of the Ponda Market Complex in full will solve the issue atleast at the Upper Bazaar. “The roadside parking space and the one available near the new market complex are occupied by vendors’ goods and vehicles. As a result of this the shoppers spend lot of time searching parking space before entering the market”, he said.
“The Ponda Market Complex should be made operational so that the street vendors run their business in the complex”, he added.
Speaking on employment Viraj said “There are many unemployed locals waiting for jobs. Bethora Industrial Estate is close to Ponda, however many units are non functional. The government has failed to bring new job oriented industries to provide employment to locals”.
Beside the above there are several issues like need of visionary plan to revamp Ponda constituency which comprises of Ponda Municipality and Curti Khandepar Panchayat by solving various problems such as providing better education, employment opportunities, improvement in water supply, solve traffic congestion and solve garbage issues with proper disposal system beside solving the sewerage system issues.
