TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
TIVIM: Former Assagao sarpanch Pradeep Naik has flayed the present panchayat and PWD for according priority to construction of drains rather than improving roads in the village.
“Constructing roadside gutters is a mere waste of funds, as the cement will soon wash away and to cover these gutters, cement slabs are required, which is again more expensive. Such gutters should not be constructed if the panchayat cannot cover it at important places as many a time people and animals fall inside these open drains,” Naik said.
“In my ward itself, a gutter at a very dangerous turn is lying open for the last three months. Cement slabs are kept at the site, but the panchayat seems to be inviting a mishap as it is not keen to cover the gutter,” he informed.
“Natural drains help in water harvesting and if at all the panchayat wants to construct such cement gutters, then it should also cover them wherever required.”
Naik further pointed that the panchayat had adopted a resolution in October regarding repairs of the Assagao road and hot-mixing of some internal roads in Badem and a resolution to build roadside gutters.
“Though both the resolutions were taken on the same day, the gutter work is in full swing since January, while the roads are lying unattended which proves how our government bodies like PWD are functioning and for what project priority is given,” he said.
Meanwhile, another ex-sarpanch Ajit Sawant has demanded that the panchayat raze all illegal signboards in the village. He claimed that the panchayat was victimizing the people by targeting some signboards and leaving others.
“A gram sabha resolution was taken to raze all the illegal signboards in the village, yet it is found that in some wards the signboards are razed while in some wards they continue to stand tall. The panchayat must apply the same yardstick and remove all such illegal signboards,” he remarked.
