Created awareness amongst residents in all wards: sarpanch

Penha de Franca: With the help of Goa Fire and Emergency Services, the panchayat of Penha de Franca undertook sanitisation of all the major public places in the village wherever mass gatherings take place, revealed the newly elected sarpanch Swapnil Chodankar.

Speaking to this daily, the sarpanch informed that the panchayat bought required chemicals, and with the help of Goa Fire and Emergency Services sanitized market, college, schools, banks, religious places like temples, churches and mosque besides colonies.

“In the village panchayat office, we installed hand sanitiser dispenser, distributed facemasks and made compulsory for all the shopkeepers social distancing norm all over the panchayat area, and nobody is allowed to move in the panchayat area without using a mask,” he added.

He said that “almost all the panchayat members carried out sanitization in their own wards and guided the people on COVID-19, and created awareness amongst the residents of all the wards.”

“This was done under the guidance from local MLA and ex-revenue minister Rohan Khaunte. All the vibrant panch members of Penha de France village panchayat worked and served the poor, needy and senior citizens in the village with enthusiasm during the lockdown,” he added. 

The sarpanch pointed that “we even supplied milk, medicines, vegetables, and fish besides essentials, sometimes, free of cost to the needy in all the wards so that not a single person should sleep without food or remain hungry.”

“First, we conducted a survey and found out the number of needy, poorest of the poor people, daily wage earners and senior citizens residing in each ward. And, formed a WhatsApp group to serve the people, and nearly 50 people were on their toes,” he informed.

A panch member Shalu Gupta and her husband served the policemen on duty at seven points with tea and snacks from March till April 14, and when takeaway counters were opened by hoteliers, they stopped their social service for the police, he said.

“We have received 3,133 applications from the migrants desiring to leave the state. So, we have forwarded the applications to the deputy collector’s office through email for further action,” he added.