MARGAO: In what could be seen as a clear sign of another awakening against corrupt practices in Goa, the gram sabhas of Chandor and St Jose de Areal village panchayats on Sunday opposed land filling in their areas.

Villagers stressed that the elected representatives cannot be mute spectators to the day-light plunder of the Goan land. The gram sabha members in both these panchayats opposed the rampant land filling cases and urged the panchayat bodies as well as other concerned authorities to take stern action in such matters.

At the gram sabha of the Chandor village panchayat, the panchayat body was asked to take immediate steps to see that fallow agricultural land is put to good use by making available irrigational facilities. A right step in this direction would be to desilt the water bodies like lakes and ponds where water could be made available to the farmers to cultivate their land, they observed.

Another issue that was discussed at the gram sabha at Chandor was the garbage menace faced by the villagers and as such a committee was formed which would work towards the segregation of garbage.

House breaking cases that have been occurring in Chandor village were also discussed at length wherein it was felt that law-enforcing authorities maintain a strict vigil in the village and crack the cases that have occurred.

Yet another issue that drew keen attention was regarding the delimitation of two of the village wards which according to the villagers is being included in neighbouring Guirdolim village. It was informed that Igrej Vaddo and Kuris Vaddo are part and parcel of Chandor village and that these two wards have now been included in the Guirdolim village which the villagers said is incorrect. This alleged fault on the part of the authorities concerned should be rectified with immediate effect, the Chandor gram sabha members stressed.

Meanwhile, a hue and cry was raised over the arrest of some villagers over an assault case wherein the gram sabha members felt that the issue, if any should have been settled amicably. The villagers wanted an explanation from the sarpanch over this matter.

Like the Chandor gram sabha, the villagers at San Jose de Areal gram sabha also debated at length the land filling cases occurring in the village and felt that the elected representatives are paying a blind eye on such cases.

Another issue that was discussed at the San Jose de Areal gram sabha was regarding an alleged illegal godown and villagers also strongly opposed the licence granted to a workshop and pressed that the licence granted should by withdrawn by the panchayat as this workshop could cause pollution and health hazard in the village. The issue of mega housing projects also figured prominently at the San Jose de Areal gram sabha.