MAPUSA
The ongoing controversy surrounding the demolition of a house and the establishment of a controversial club dominated the proceedings of the Assagao village gram sabha on Sunday. Villagers united in their criticism of the panchayat, holding it accountable for the ongoing issues plaguing the village.
A unanimous resolution was passed by the villagers to oppose the setup of the contentious club. The poor condition of the village roads, attributed to the slow progress of underground power cabling and water pipeline installations, was another major concern voiced during the meeting.
Local resident Kedar Kamat expressed deep concerns over the fraud and politicization of the Agarwadekar case, blaming the panchayat for illegally allotting a house number to the Agarwadekars. He stressed that Assagao's reputation was suffering due to the establishment of the controversial club and the Agarwadekar issue, urging the panchayat to take stringent actions.
"All the illegalities happening in the village are due to the tacit support of the village panchayat. The sarpanch is aware of all developments and selectively makes decisions for financial gain," a villager asserted, directing the criticism at Sarpanch Hanumant Naik over the Agarwadekar issue. Naik, however, refused to comment on the house demolition matter, citing an ongoing investigation.
Addressing the controversial club issue, Surendra Gaad, Convenor of the ABCAC, detailed the committee's efforts to halt the club's establishment. The sarpanch informed the villagers about the panchayat's actions regarding the development, stating that the landowner was approaching various authorities such as the TCP, fire department, and Directorate of Panchayat. He assured that the panchayat was united in opposing the club at all levels.
Naik added that if the Directorate of Panchayat (DoP) overruled the panchayat's decision, the panchayat would consider approaching the High Court. The gram sabha resolved to oppose the club's setup in the village emphatically.
The panchayat and gram sabha members also criticized the Public Works Department (PWD) and electricity departments for the poorly managed road digging, which has left the roads in a dreadful state. The hazardous road conditions were described as a nightmare for motorists, with numerous accidents occurring as a result.
Sarpanch Naik warned that if the contractors failed to rectify the roads, the panchayat would file a police complaint against them and consider taking the matter to the High Court with a writ petition.
Other participants in the gram sabha discussion included Shivaji Gaad, Manoj Gaad, Gregory Sequeira, Einstein Baretto, Pradeep Naik, Milosha Dantas, and Evaristo Nobres, among others.
Their collective voice underscored the urgent need for action to resolve the pressing issues in the village.
