Goemkarponn desk
PONDA: In the run-up to the 2022 Assembly Election, politicians started a door-to-door campaign but failed to understand their problems.
When asked to Pondaitees what is the priority they want to fulfiled by politicians, the reply is they want the Ponda Sub District Hospital into a full-fledged medical facility with operation theatres, senior doctors and CT scan machines, so that they are not referred to far away GMC even for minor ailments.
Besides this, the major problems are unemployment, parking problem in Ponda City, providing a plot of land to landless locals for housing etc.
Every MLA in Ponda Taluka is constructing Hospitals in their respective constituency, but none of it can be completely relied upon for medical treatment as they lack proper facilities, and finally, only GMC can be relied on to recover from sickness.
According to social activist Viraj Sapre, the first demand of Pondaites is the up-gradation of Ponda Sub District Hospital.
He expressed surprise over how this hospital is failed to provide major health facilities despite its renovation and reconstruction a decade ago.
He said it should be either converted into District Hospital or the facilities provided at Goa Medical College Hospital (GMC) should be provided here.
He said Ponda is at the centre of Goa, but despite this, the Ponda Sub District Hospital lacks main health facilities.
“We have to entirely rely on GMC hospital for getting health facilities. Even for a minor ailment, We are referred or shifted to GMC in the absence of Ponda Sub District hospital lacking main health facilities,” he said.
He stated that in the absence of CT scans, people went to private Hospitals and spent thousands of dollars on their treatment.
“The Ponda Sub District Hospital need CT scan Machine, Blood bank, MRI machine, sufficient doctors,” Sapre says.
He said various surgeries should be performed at this hospital to get relief.
Several patients from neighbouring Dharbandora and other talukas visit this hospital for treatment but are forced to shift to GMC due to lack of facilities.
Besides health problems, Pondaites face another major problem: parking problems.
One can buy a flat or apartment in Ponda, but it is challenging to get a parking space in Ponda City, and one has to search for parking for cars and bikes.
There are very few parking spaces, and those are falling short for parking of vehicles.
Viraj said the Ponda Market Complex should be fully operational so that street vendors can conduct business at the Market complex.
He cited an example that on the occasion of Diwali last Sunday a new Car was caught in a fire at Saint Annes Church upper Bazaar, however, fire tender could not reach at a spot on time as it was trapped in traffic jams due to parking of vehicles at the roadside.
Similarly, Viraj said many unemployed youths are waiting for jobs.
He said the Bethora Industrial Estate is close to Ponda City; however, many units are non-functional, and the government failed to bring new job oriented industries to provide employment to locals.
He said Pondaitees needs jobs, and for this new industry or new Industrial Estate is needed to provide employment to Pondaitees.
The Pondaites want politicians contesting 2022 to give Priority in their manifesto to solve this issue.
