Santa Cruz VP urged to act on migrants littering waste

MERCES, AUG 22
Stating that migrants residing near Santa Cruz High School are littering the surroundings with waste, a Santa Cruz local urged the panchayat authorities to immediately take action against it, failing which he expressed fears over the possibility of diseases spreading in the area.
Speaking at the gram sabha on Sunday, Renato Dias informed that the migrants have turned the area into a waste site and cautioned the panchayat that if immediate action is not taken, there is a possibility of outbreak of diseases, which he said would affect not only the locals in the area but also the school children.
Dias also urged the panchayat authorities to conduct a site inspection to ascertain the facts for themselves and informed that even the drains have become choked by the waste discharged by the migrants residing there.
Dias further brought to the notice of the panchayat that a migrant paan vendor who had earlier been told not to conduct his activity in the village, has again resurfaced at another place, and he expressed fears that if a blind eye is turned to his activities, other migrants would also join in, which does not augur well for the village.
Reply to his demands, Sarpanch Rosy Fernandes assured that the panchayat would take immediate action in both the matters.
Earlier, members of the SCREAM urged the panchayat to conduct a site inspection of a project at Primeiro Bairro, near Urban Health Centre, to check whether the builder has left the required width for the purpose of road widening in the future, since they felt that the road is narrow.
The SCREAM members further urged the panchayat that if there is any violation, then the license granted for the project should be immediately withdrawn.
Acceding to the demand, Sarpanch Rosy said they would inspect the project and if any violations are found, the panchayat would begin the process of revoking licence.
The issue of vehicles being parked on the road at Arradi-Bandh was also discussed with local Caitano Fernandes stating that residents in the area are parking their vehicles on the road, which puts locals in great discomfort when plying their vehicles, particularly when any emergency arises.
He further pointed out that at some places the drainages are not covered with slabs, which poses a threat to the users of four-vehicles since during rains they are unable to make out where the road ends and sometimes drive their vehicles right into the drain.
At the fag end of the gram sabha, ex-sarpanch and current Panch Helen Lourenco made a serious allegation by stating that the conduct of the gram sabha has become a mere formality for the panchayat.
Sarpanch Rosy, though, chose not to the react at the gram sabha, but when asked to comment on the statement, she said Helen had always been negative about the panchayat, but added that the panchayat is very much serious when it comes to the gram sabha.
However, she hastened to add that the panchayat can act only on those resolutions which are within the purview of the law.