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SALIGAO, May 14: Saligao Civic and Consumers Forum is struggling to get
volunteers and energies to keep it going, but it obviously has tonnes of
issues to take up. This emerged at the monthly meeting of the
volunteer-group, registered as a society in Goa, at the village today.
>From rainwater drains and 'vaus' (tiny streams) filled with garbage, to
a decent Saligao-via-Porvorim-to-Panjim bus service to Panjim, the
functioning of local self-government, and the plastic-waste boom...
these and a large number of other issues are crying for attention.
"Our 'vaus' (drains) are filled with rubbish," complained Nicholas
Sequeira, while stressing the need for greater village participation to
make the collaborative endeavour work. SCCF meets on the second Sunday
of each month at Lourdes Convent, the village school.
There were plans for launching a collection scheme for villagers'
garbage, but this had been placed on the back-burner following feared
official objections about government money to citizens' groups.
Said Joseph, "We first would like to think of the end-point for such a
scheme, i.e. where the dumping grounds are going to be."
It may be recalled that Saligao hillock and its surroundings, perched
atop the village, itself has been the controversial dumping site mainly
for garbage from the neighbouring areas, including the Calangute tourism
belt.
Youth raised concern about the growth in plastics in parts of the
village, including around parts of Donvaddo. It was felt that local
panch members be called upon to work towards a solution to this issue.
Some argued for sports facilities for the village, but others noted that
building a mini-stadium in the village monsoonal wetlands -- the
'tollem' area -- would be inadvisable.
Former sarpanch Joaquim Monteiro pointed out that the village lacked a
suitable land, lying in north-south direction (to avoid the direct glare
on the players) for building a permanent football ground. As of now,
there are two half-year grounds, where football is played in alternation
with the paddy crops which take up the monsoon season.
Some members present pointed to the possibility of planning for the same
on the Sangolda end of the village, along a barren hilltop.
Plans for renovation of the fairly ramshackled Saligao market were also
taken up. It was announced that the post office was likely to shift to
the local 'shalla' (school), which has been seeing a decline in its
student population. But one view was that the comunidade building on the
venue should not be interferred with.
Lawrence pointed to the different telephone schemes which allow phone
subscribers to reduce their monthly billings. There are a number of
different schemes, tailormade for heavy-duty phone users and those
wanting only incoming calls, with names like Plan150, India Plan 1 Rs,
Plan 1490, Plan 990, Plan-490 (no rent), Plan 240, etc. But one needs to
be aware of these plans and apply for the same to take advantage.
Issues that came up included getting a listing of all timings of buses
passing through the village, stopping of dumping of mud in local
fields, and usage of the Right to Information law to ferret out
information of importance to villagers. See
http://egov.goa.nic.in/rtipublic
It was also thought important to download electoral rolls of Saligao,
now available in cyberspace along with those of other villages and
towns in Goa.
Non-issuing of receipts by vendors (to dodge on tax payments), the
proliferating plastic use in shops and outlets, and the growth of the
discarded plastic (PET) bottle menace in the village was also discussed.
Issues like the panchayat budget and illegal constructions in the
village -- including the building of 'rooms' to rent out to migrant
workers without any toilet facilities -- were among the matters raised.
Lack of cooperation from some quarters in the panchayat, the dumping of
garbage and waste in local drains, and a recent explosion in a local
unit of some LPG gas cylinders was also noted. (ENDS)
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