NT NETWORK
VARCA
The Varca gram sabha on Sunday demanded that the government should provide water filters to the villagers at subsidized rates in view of presence of manganese content and other heavy metals in the PWD-supplied drinking water.
The gram sabha raised serious concerns over health hazards arising out of the presence of contaminants above the permissible limits.
The villagers asked the panchayat to take up the matter with the government so as to provide them with water filters at subsidized rates.
Chairing her first gram sabha, sarpanch Tracy Fernandes said the panchayat is unable to provide the filters and the option is to take up the demand with the state government.
The villagers also suggested reviving village wells which had submersible pumps. The water from these wells could become an alternative to the PWD-supplied water.
The villagers also raised concern over the failure to clear the village drains which has resulted in water-logging at many places. They demanded withdrawal of the payments made to contractors. Pointing out that the panchayat does verify the completed works before clearing the bills, Fernandes said that some drains might have remained clogged and that the matter will be readdressed.
The villagers also drew attention of the gram sabha to a star hotel closing a drain, which has affected flow of water from the fields.
The gram sabha also asked the chair to call a special meeting to find ways to resuscitate the abandoned farmlands, as cost of cultivation has come down considerably due to mechanized farming.
