Shaikh Jamaluddin | NT
CHIMBEL
Chimbel village panchayat has a population of around 10,000 with less than half enjoying voting rights in the eleven-ward body. Garbage is the biggest problem in the area and residents are demanding door-to-door collection and proper disposal. Also, many residents are unemployed and are likely to vote for candidates swearing by jobs.
Absence of police out-post, Sulabh Shauchalaya, market, 108 ambulance, health centre, community hall, playground, school for the villagers, proper parking place and drains are some other issues.
Besides these, there is law and order problem, gambling, drug menace and as such the place urgently requires a counseling centre for the youth.
The villagers claim that the former MLA Atanasio Monserratte tried to resolve the garbage problem but could only construct a garbage collection shed and to some extent managed to solve problem of parking, undertaking road widening and illuminating roads.
Although panchayat election is not fought on political lines, major political parties have fielded candidates or are backing independent candidates.
Incumbent Congress MLA Tony Fernandes, Rudof Fernandes, former sarpanch Chandrakant Kunkolienkar and the former BJP candidate Hemant Golatkar and MGP candidates Prakash Naik too have floated their own panels. In each ward, on an average there are over 10 candidates. Chimbel has been a strong Congress bastion for decades. There are people belonging to different castes like OBC, ST, Gawda, and Muslim community in Indira Nagar and most have preferred Congress candidate over the years.
While some villagers still oppose the Information Technology Park in Chimbel, a sizeable population believes that government needs to create proper awareness and then take a final decision on it.
Villagers claim that although many aspiring candidates promise the moon during election time, they all know that it is impossible and people never exercise their constitutional right on issues. The results of assembly polls may also have some bearing on voters.