Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: The Khola Gram Sabha has resolved to construct rooms in the panchayat building and rent them out to visitors and tourists, with the aim of generating additional revenue for the panchayat by tapping the growing tourist inflow into the village.
The resolution was among several adopted at the Gram Sabha meeting held on Sunday under the chairmanship of Sarpanch Tejal Pagui. All panch members attended the meeting.
The Gram Sabha also resolved to start a Balbhavan at the panchayat and called for career guidance programmes for SSC students studying in the two high schools in the village.
Members also urged the panchayat to expedite the ongoing court matter concerning a room in the panchayat building which, they said, is being occupied by the Goa State Large Size Multipurpose Co-operative Society.
The Gram Sabha welcomed and appreciated the painting of the panchayat building, installation of pavers in front of the panchayat hall and cutting of roadside bushes and obstructive trees without expenditure from the panchayat funds.
On road infrastructure, members resolved to close potholes at Kamormolem and on the main road and to hot-mix the roads at the earliest. The Gram Sabha also decided to instruct BSNL to lay cables along the roadside before hot-mixing work is undertaken.
A resolution was also passed seeking immediate completion of pending CCTV installation work and installation of signboards informing the public about the surveillance system.
Considering the tourism potential of Khola, members backed the proposal to construct rooms in the panchayat premises and rent them to visitors, thereby generating additional income for the local body.
The Gram Sabha also demanded construction of steps at Kamormolem and called for greater awareness about four-way garbage segregation into dry, wet, sanitary-pad and other waste, including items such as bulbs, tubs and batteries. It further resolved to conduct a house-to-house survey and impose a garbage tax.
Members sought immediate hot-mixing of the main MDR-49 road passing through the village. They also demanded cancellation of Section 39-A and called for no construction to be permitted without the approval of the panchayat.
On water supply, the Gram Sabha sought cleaning of the water tank at Kajumol and demanded that water be supplied from Kudai to Kajumol. Members also called for installation of a new pump or repair of the existing pump at the Kajumol spring and proposed a meeting with the Water Supply Department.
Taking note of traffic jams on the Cabo-de-Rama road, members demanded the deployment of traffic police to regulate traffic and ease congestion.
The Gram Sabha also resolved to construct a toilet within the fort premises for visitors. Members further noted that the file concerning facilitation of mobile tower installation is pending with the Forest Department and sought action on the matter.
The panchayat was asked to bring in experts to conduct career-guidance sessions for SSC students in both high schools in the village.
Several issues were raised during the meeting by Gram Sabha members, including Prashant Kholkar, Sunil Pagui and others.
