Sarzora gram sabha on Sunday condemned the arrest and intimidation of two Catholic nuns in Chhattisgarh, with the resolution moved by panch member Sabita Mascarenhas.
The meeting discussed Saturday’s incident where a cement truck toppled into paddy fields due to poor road conditions. It may be recalled that former Chinchinim Sarpanch Valentino Barretto had rushed to the site and criticized the power department for the deteriorated road conditions after recent digging work.
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At Sunday’s gram sabha, villagers echoed these concerns, warning this was “a tragedy waiting to happen” and demanding action. The panchayat department faced criticism for both road conditions and frequent power outages. Issues of illegal roadside constructions and delayed bush trimming were also raised, with the PWD criticized for neglecting vegetation along the major district road.
Besides seeking for updates on pending 15th Finance Commission works and a demand for widening of the roads leading to the local school, another big issue was the way the Water Resources Department (WRD) was blocking both the panchayat and the locals from using or visiting the Sarzora lake.
While the lake was declared as a wetland authority, locals pointed out how for years the said lake was used by the village and complained that a security guard posted by WRD was preventing them from doing so. Even the panchayat is unable to undertake its fish harvest at the lake which would generate income for the local body while senior citizens are also not allowed to go for walks near the lake.
