BY ARPITA SRIVASTAVA | NT
MAPUSA
During the last five years, Thivim constituency has seen foundation stones being laid and various works launched like construction of roads, footpaths, retaining walls, immersion platform at various places, undertaken by PWD roads, water resources and other departments.
The major works carried out include the completed Assonora market complex, playground at Assonora, road widening and hot-mixing of road from Karaswada to Assonora, beautification of temples, waterfall spot etc.
The sitting MLA Kiran Kandolkar, in his last election manifesto, had promised to establish a women bank in his constituency and set up a supermarket which would be managed by women.
After getting elected, he kept his promise and established a multipurpose society through which women are benefiting.
However, unemployment is one of the major issues that has arisen especially after closure of mining and ban on sand extraction. An industrial area has been notified in Sirsaim village but the government could not acquire the identified land due to land acquisition act-related issue.
This constituency in Bardez is going to witness a four-cornered fight in the upcoming election with the two rivals-sitting MLA of Bharatiya Janata Party Kiran Kandolkar and former MLA and Congress candidate Nilkanth Halarnkar gearing up for a direct clash while Aam Aadmi Party candidate Pradip Ghadi also trying to make inroads, banking on achievements of Delhi government.
The fourth contender is the Independent candidate Douglas Sequeira.
Thivim constituency comprises eight villages including Camurlim, Colvale, Revora, Nadora, Pirna, Assonora, Sirsaim and Thivim panchayat areas. The constituency has a total voter population of around 26567 of which 13102 voters are males and 13465 females.
During the last assembly election in 2012, Kandolkar had polled altogether 10473 votes, which was around 51.56 per cent of the total votes, while Nilkanth had secured 9361 votes, that is, 46.08 per cent.
A local from Cansa-Thivim Nagina Narvekar said that “Kandolkar had promised during the last election to set up a women bank and also a supermarket, which he has fulfilled. The shareholders of the bank also get an annual dividend of 8 per cent.”
However, despite development, the major issue in the constituency is that of unemployment which has not been addressed.
An Assonora resident, Vijay Benaulikar said that “due to lack of employment opportunities the youth are taking to activities like matka gambling. Since government jobs cannot be given to everyone, the government should create other avenues for generating jobs.”
Besides unemployment, the locals are facing problems of irregular water supply, power cuts and garbage.
Sandip Mayekar, from Thivim, said that the biggest problem the Thivim constituents are facing is that of garbage. He said the garbage collection does not happen properly as a result of which garbage remains uncollected at various points. The second problem, he said, is that of irregular water supply which has not been resolved despite the Assonora treatment plant being in the constituency and, thirdly, is of power cut. He said power is supplied from the substation here to everywhere in Bardez, but the constituency itself is facing electricity woes.
“Bad condition of roads is another issue which the MLA has completely failed to address,” he said.
However, Gurudas Sawant, Pirna resident, has expressed happiness over overall development and said that “this is the first time that the village has seen development as all roads are not only hot-mix carpeted but also has got streetlights.”
In the constituency, two bypasses were proposed during the former MLA Nilkanth Halarnkar’s tenure and incase of Assonora bypass even the process of land acquisition was completed and the proposal was sent to central government for construction.
Similarly, another bypass was proposed for Thivim-Sirsaim but till date nothing has happened. According to BJP’s local leader, the proposal was placed before the state government but since there was financial liability it was kept on hold.
Arun Shinde, of Thivim, said that “the MLA has failed to undertake all-around development in the constituency in terms of health sector, maintaining law and order, education-anganwadis are neglected.” Another local added that “both the bypass roads are needed as the traffic flow has increased tremendously in the last few years.” With hardly few days left for elections, all candidates are busy completing the rounds of door-to-door campaigning in the constituency and have been holding several corner meetings.