Roti, kapda nahi, pani, bijli de do

Roti, kapda nahi, pani, bijli de do  
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIIM, FEB 21
A cluster of houses on the right side of the Miramar-Dona Paula by-pass road just before the Dona Paula Circle is hardly visible. Take a narrow road on the right that stretches up to the seafront and you will discover quaint existence of Aivao which forms part of Ward I of the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP).
It is hard to ignore the serenity of this place and simplicity of its people, but it is equally hard to digest the utter neglect of this place by the CCP. 
A case in point is a narrow road that shrinks further as you move inside. “The road was dug up a year ago but tarring is still awaited,” rues resident Florentina Fernandes. 
Complains Damodar Zambaulikar, whose wife Kiran Zambaulikar is contesting on the NCP panel from this ward, “They were supposed to complete the road after monsoon. The sitting corporator Melita Afonso also did not pursue the matter.”
Residents say Afonso hardly steps into their ward and the problem of water supply has never been seriously looked into. “We have to depend on well water which has to be fetched from a distance,” they narrated.  
A senior citizen pouring her cup of woes adds, “We have water supply for a very short period, but who cares?” We are  old  and  can’t   fetch well  water  as  we  did  in  our  youth, says  another elderly lady.
Non-functional street lights are another big problem which the residents are left to deal with. “I have phoned the authorities several times but they haven’t bothered to look into the problem,” says Maria.
Nothing may have happened in terms of getting basic amenities, but last week witnessed some activity in the area. Taleigao MLA Babush Monserrate came campaigning for his new candidate Ana Rosa Lobo, who has replaced Melita Afonso.
Like what any other politician would do, Monserrate has promised to do whatever required, but some of the residents say they are not buying that this time.
Residents say they will vote for development. But there is none to see in this ward.  So, who will they really vote for remains the question. March 13 will tell a different tale though.