TEAM HERALD
PONDA: Claiming that residents are unhappy with the functioning of Sub-District Hospital at Ponda, the Ponda Block Congress Committee (PBCC) has decided to approach the authorities concerned requesting to rectify the shortcomings.
“People had approached us informing about various problems which they have to go through while availing medical facilities at Ponda Sub-District Hospital. The hospital which we see today was primarily due to the efforts taken by former Ponda MLA Ravi Naik. However, the current government has failed to provide better services to the people,” claimed Ponda Block Congress Committee President John Pereira.
Pereira said the issue of Sub-District Hospital was discussed at the Ponda Block Congress Committee meeting recently at Ponda. The meeting was attended by party members including former chief minister Ravi Naik. The committee members are scheduled to meet the government officials concerned regarding the issue.
PBCC, during the meeting, also condemned the decision of Curti-Khandepar Panchayat to dispose garbage in the land earmarked for crematorium for Hindu community, cemetery for Christians and a kabrastan for the Muslim community at Deepnagar in Curti-Khandepar Panchayat.
It may be recalled that recently, the panchayat stopped dumping garbage at the site following opposition from the villagers.
“The land admeasuring 16,000 sq mtrs at Deepnagar was acquired during the tenure of Ravi Naik. The land was particularly acquired for crematorium, cemetery and kabrastan and using the land for garbage disposal does not arise. There are several houses in the locality and will have adverse impact on health of the residents,” said Pereira, who was also the former sarpanch of Curti-Khandepar Panchayat.
Pereira informed that residents from Deepnagar during the PBCC meeting had raised the issue and PBCC is of the opinion that the land should not be used for garbage disposal.
During the meeting, various other issues were discussed. However, PBCC did not touch on the issue of the ongoing controversy over Ponda Municipal Council’s (PMC) garbage treatment facility at Keryem in Curti-Khandepar Panchayat. While PMC had resumed the work to set up garbage treatment facility at Keryem, villagers including the panchayat members opposed it.
PBCC claimed that they will issue a statement regarding the issue in the coming days.
