PANJIM: The Taleigao gram sabha members on Sunday expressed their apprehensions over Transport Department’s decision to replace the ‘iconic’ buses plying in the village with electric vehicles (EVs), which the locals feared would affect their livelihood.
The members reminded the gram sabha that Taleigao is still a village and demanded that a resolution be passed that existing buses should ply in the village. It was decided that the bus operators will write to the panchayat opposing the notification issued by the Transport Department regarding running of AC buses.
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Kewal Mayekar, a bus operator from Taleigao, said the solution must be found to the issue as it would affect the livelihood of the bus operators from the panchayat jurisdiction.
Mayekar said, “Most of our buses commence their journey from Taleigao and end in Taleigao only. If buses are stopped then what should we do? If Panjim is becoming a Smart City then why should Taleigao suffer?”
Francis Coelho, a social activist, proposed that the existing buses plying on Taleigao roads should be allowed to continue as they are iconic.
“These existing buses are used by many people including senior citizens. The ecosystem is such that people know the bus drivers and the bus drivers know the people. It is a very integral part of our culture. Doing away with the buses is not an option. We proposed that we should not do away with these buses. New buses can be brought, but these buses too should be allowed to operate. You just cannot come out with a notification that these buses will not be allowed. Goa needs a better transport system, but removing these buses is not an option at all,”’ he said.
“The staff employed on these buses are locals with most being third generation. The new proposed buses are part of Panjim Smart City. What is Panjim Smart City has got to do with the Taleigao Village Panchayat? Village Panchayat is different if we see it from the point of view of heritage and culture. It is still a village and we want to have our own system of buses meandering through the bylanes of the village,” he said.
Last year, inviting inputs from the stakeholders, the Directorate of Transport had issued a related notice regarding running new AC buses along the routes in Panjim and its neighbouring areas. The routes that will be covered are from Panjim bus stand to Miramar, Dona Paula, Caranzalem, Bambolim, Goa University, Cujira, Taleigao, St Inez, St Cruz and Altinho.
It was pointed out that a total 67 buses are plying on Taleigao roads which include Goa University and Dona Paula and most bus operators are from Taleigao only.
The villagers alleged that the gram sabha was being held only for namesake.
Gram Sabha Committee member Cecille Rodrigues said, “We raised various issues and brought many problems to the notice of the panchayat, but no positive steps have been taken by it.”
She alleged that while it is mandatory to meet various committees before preparing the budget, not a single committee meeting was convened by the panchayat.
“I am also a member of some panchayat committees. The committee did not hold a meeting to discuss the development of the panchayat. The Panchayat is doing whatever it wants,” she said.
“The main issue of the gram sabha was the budget and its proposal. It was pointed out that the budget should be termed as interim budget and not the final one. The gram sabha also discussed alleged hill cutting which is going on in the panchayat area,” she added.
