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Govind Gaude’s promises galore

In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ache din slogan, Sports Minister Govind Gaude promised better days for football lovers from the twin villages of Chandor-Cavorim and Guirdolim by promising to carpet the football ground at Cavorim with a lawn and to provide a ground for Guirdolim once the panchayat takes possession of the site where it is proposed.

He also assured both the villages that the railway level crossing connecting the two villages, whose closure has so irked both the villages that it has even figured at gram sabhas, will be kept open at certain periods to avoid inconveniencing people.

MinisterMr. Gaude visited the Chandor-Cavorim panchayat hall on March 5 along with various government officials to interact with the people from the twin villages and also neighbouring Macasana as part of the Panchayat Chalo Abhiyan to make India a superpower by 2047 which is the centenary of the country’s independence from British rule.

He began the interaction by promising to return to the panchayat after giving sufficient notice as ex-sarpanch Edward D’Silva pointed out that people had various problems but as they were informed about the visit only the previous day many, particularly the working class could not be present to ventilate their grievances.

Mr. Gaude assured Chandor-Cavorim Sarpanch Estefanio Dias that his department will soon cover the football ground near St Anthony Chapel with a lawn when he was informed that the dust rising from it could be harmful to those using the ground.

He promptly directed the Water Resources Department officials to put a stop to pollution of the storm water drain in the village by people defecating in it and promised to take up with the authorities the demand to install nets all along the two bridges across river Kushawati over which miscreants throw garbage into the river.

Mr. Gaude said Collector South was in the process of directing Traffic Cell and RTO to implement the earlier order prohibiting heavy traffic plying through Chandor and further asked the panchayat to forward its resolution seeking a similar order on the new road that has been commissioned following construction of a new railway over bridge connecting Chandor and Curtorim.

EstefanioWhen Estefanio pointed out that the villagers and particularly senior citizens have to endure the raucous behaviour of youngsters who consume alcohol in open spaces during twilight hours and zoom around on their vehicles, he said he would speak to the police to intensify patrolling in the village during twilight hours.

He assured ex-sarpanch Edward D’Silva to replace the unusable 7 community toilets installed as part of the ODF mission, with community toilets having bathing facilities too. Edward had pooh poohed government’s claim of being open defecation free by pointing out that these toilets could not be used due to lack of water supply and even doors for some.

Responding to the representation made by Chandor-Cavorim Village Development Committee, the minister promised that Suvarna Velip the Zilla Panchayat member would contact the panchayat within a week and also promised to get in touch with experts to introduce Teqball the new game that is fast growing popularity in the world and slated to be part of the Olympics shortly.

The VDC had complained that the ZP member had not visited the village even once since she was elected nor had she sanctioned any works in the village besides ignoring the panchayat’s requests to provide benches and pavers to cover drains in the village.

Walking the talk, the minister supplied 15 benches to Chandor-Cavorim village within three days of his Chalo Panchayat visit to the village.

“I shall discuss with Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and the Railways Minister about the Chandor Railway Station matter raised by the VDC,” he said. The VDC while lamenting that the villagers were kept in the dark over the plans for new Chandor Railway Station had asked that it reflect the village ethos given the fact that Chandor was singled out to be the Heritage Village of Goa.

When staff of the three panchayats sought to raise the matter of their pay, the minister while pointing out that this is a problem faced by all panchayats said the government is seized of the matter.

SoniaGuirdolim Sarpanch Sonia Fernandes had made an impassioned plea seeking relief for the people who face difficulties due to the closing of the railway level crossing and pointed out that the railway underpass was posing to be a curse due to water logging.

“The Collector will work out some solution to enable passage of vehicles at the earlier crossing,” he said when Guirdolim Sarpanch Sonia Fernandes said the underpass was posing a problem particularly due to water logging.

He promised to construct community toilets along with bathing facilities in Chandor, to replace the seven toilets which are not being used at present to honour the commitment to be Open Defecation Free.

Following various complaints of bad road, not installing speed breakers despite notification by Collector, he asked the PWD officials to attend to them and urged the concerned panchayat members to inform him if work is not done.

“I request the panchayat to send me a copy of the resolution and I shall pursue the matter of heavy traffic plying over the new bridge over railway tracks,” he said as people bitterly complained about not only increased traffic but also fatal accidents.

Mr Gaude also said he would speak to police authorities to enable locals to lodge their complaints at the Chandor Police Out Post.

“I request you to bear up till the Lok Sabha elections are over but after that I promise that panchayat staff will not be given additional duty as BLO,” he said when it was pointed out that panchayat functioning is adversely affected because of this.

Irregular water supply in some places, lack of water for irrigation through Paroda canal, non functioning street lights, disappearance of Nacasana lake, non functioning sluice gates, land locked houses, were some of the other difficulties expressed by people.

DomingosEarlier, Estefanio Dias welcomed and Domingo Cardoso sang a welcome song which was appreciated by the artiste Govind Gaude while Macasana Sarpanch Agnelo D’Costa proposed the vote of thank.

 

Flower basketIn keeping with the panchayat’s commitment to reduce the use of plastic, the flower vases that were given to the dignitaries were not wrapped in plastic as is normally done. Vases were presented to the minister, Salcete BDO Pranit Naik, Estefanio Dias, Sonia Fernandes and Agnelo D’Costa who is Macasana sarpanch.

After the interaction, Mr Gaude visited the Braganza house which is the birthplace of Dr Tristao Braganza Cunha, father of Goa’s liberation movement. Incidentally first Goan women freedom fighters Bertha and Beatrice Braganza who are T B Cunha’s nieces, were also born and brough up in this mansion.

GBE member Sudesh Bhise from Guirdolim who had contested the last Assembly elections, offered lunch to the minister and panchayat members.

Nacasana lakeGBE President John Fernandes and Treasurer Anand Shirodkar, were amongst those present for the interaction, while member Gidwan D’Costa in fact, raised the very important issue of disappearance of the Nacasana lake from Guirdolim due to the mischief created by South Western Railway while increasing their railway lines in the village.