MARGAO: Demand for utilisation of the District Mineral Fund for mining-affected areas found an echo at the
Dabal panchayat gram sabha held on Sunday.
Villagers, lamenting the failure of the government in providing the funds for the village over the years, demanded that developmental works in the
Kirlapal-Dabal panchayat be taken up though the funds at the earliest. They asked the panchayat to follow up on the matter with authorities and obtain the funds necessary for the development of the village.
Stating that the fund was formed with the objective of bringing about development in the
under-developed mining belt,
improving the living standards of villagers of these areas, and providing them with basic amenities, gram sabha members told the panchayat to prepare plans for the utilisation of the funds in the village.
The villagers also said that many mines were operational in the village and that since the
maximum contribution to the fund went from here, the panchayat should strive to get maximum share of the funds for itself.
Several areasin the village are deprived of potable water and have to depend on tankers for their daily water needs, villagers said, pushing for piped water supply projects be initiated at the earliest.
Village farmers said several lakes and streams in the village had dried up owing to siltation of ore into natural water resources and asked that the panchayat take immediate steps to desilt the water bodies.
Several areas in Dabal are deprived of potable water