>>>GLWrites: GL responds: Reading the correspondence on this topic, I shake my head in disbelief and understand why Goa is just spinning its wheels enjoying writing and talking about the topic rather than finding some REAL LOCAL solutions. How about bring this topic at the next village Sarpanch meeting?? Sitting among the Sarpanch committee members are YOUR OWN friends, relatives and neighbors. No need to inform the Indian Prime Minister or the international Goan community about the dirty little secrets. Regards, GL >>>
My response: Dotour bab, you haven't the faintest idea of how things work in Goa, and it would be great if you came down to Goa to implement the suggestions made by you. You mean well, but I am sorry to say you have a lot to learn about Goa and how it works. 1. Once your best/bosom friend becomes a panch, let alone a Sarpanch, he is elected as a panch for 5 years and it is next to impossible to dislodge him. With this assuarance, he becomes an authority who suddenly by a mysterious process, becomes a fount of knowledge and a know it all. 2. His prime concerns become recovering the cost of being elected and maintaing his migrant vote bank. Friendship has no place in his agenda. 3. The "next Sarpanch meeting" as you term it is a Gram Sabha. This follows a structured agenda. To get things agreed upon which are not in the Sarpanch's interest is difficult. Even if your proposal is passed, there's no guarantee that it will be implemented. 3. Ranting on social media has two effects. A. It is cathartic and works the steam off your system. B. Many a time, social media is monitored and action does get taken. 4. And yes, writing to the PM is a bit of an overkill. 5. I have gotten many problems by complaing on the Public Grievance Portal of the Government of India: https://pgportal.gov.in. This is a government website. It takes time, but your problem is routed to the concerned department and in most cases problems are solved. Believe me, I' ve used it to great effect
