Team Herald

MARGAO: As the polling date for the panchayat elections draws close, several social activists feel that voters need to question the candidates who are seeking re-election as panch members about their efforts towards taking up issues and implementing decisions during their last tenure.

Social activists also feel that many previous panch members were working under political pressure rather than respecting the voice of the people. Voters need to weed out candidates with no sincere dedication to their respective wards, and the village, in general, is not re-elected again. Speaking to Herald, Santano Rodrigues said that several panchayat bodies have failed to form village-level committees or activate those committee members for the betterment of the village.

“Several panch members have failed to hear the voice of the people, as a result, they preferred to take decisions as per the circulars issued by the authorities or the government rather than taking into consideration what the people wanted,” he stated. He further questioned, “Where are the village development plans? Where is the state’s contribution to the development of villages? Why was there no proper audit of the panchayats?”Menino Fernandes, from Sao Jose de Areal, alleged that he has witnessed several incidents wherein the elected members were acting like destroyers, rather than saviours.

“Stealing, looting and cheating by the elected representatives of local bodies need to stop,” he said. Nitin Raikar said “Constructing gutters and cutting the bushes doesn’t mean the development of the wards. There were panch members in the past who were sitting at home for the last five years and are now contesting the elections again.”