consumer - charter of demands for cuncolim BY ARMSTRONG VAZ [EMAIL PROTECTED]
This is for the benefit of my friends from Cuncolim using the net to get across the message of what is happening in Cuncolim. Last Sunday for the first time I attended a meeting of the Cuncolim consumer and civic forum held at maria bambina Convent hs Cuncolim. The meeting discussed several topics BANKS- The topics discussed where the functioning of the banks- the ratio of disbursement of loans and deposits by the different banks in Cuncolim and the functioning and the service offered by the banks to the customers came in for close scrutiny. Pharmacy – the functioning of the pharmacies in Cuncolim were also discussed and whether any night pharmacis are functioning in Cuncolim. POSt OFFICE-- the conduct and functioning of the post man and other personnel at Cuncolim post office was also discussed. PRIMARY HEALTH CENTRE BALLI The services offered at Balli health centre will come under a survey to be conducted by the consumer civic forum. Other issues were Gas Services, Telephone services, electricity services. On cooking Gas- LPG, consumers expressed the need to have more safety workshops through out Cuncolim. On telephone services it was informed that consumers should look out for defect in their connection from the pole to the residence. On electricity it was suggested that the department frequently carried the exercise of cutting trees branches and other plants obstructing or likely to obstruct the disruption of electricity supply to the consumers. THE MEETING WAS ALSO INFORMED ABOUT TRHE GAXETTE NOTIFICATION OF new speed breakers coming up in Cuncolim. Villagers however informed the meeting that there is also a need to improve on the existing speed breakers and no sign boards or marking are present near the existing speed breakers near maria bambina convent Cuncolim and near Our lady of health hs Cuncolim besides near corporation bank Murida. Enclosed is by dream plan for Cuncolim and if any other ideas spring up I will send you the same. I will also consult with my friends and adds the facilities for sports, leisure and children related activities in the second email which will posted to you in one or two weeks time. Also the photo graphs of the existing speed breakers without any sign boards and marking will be email in another two days time. MY DREAMS FOR CUNCOLIM. TRAFFIC PLAN— There is no system of parking for buses passing through Cuncolim from Canacona, karwar and making a stop over at Cuncolim to collect passenger in the absence of a bus stand Buses stop by the road side to collect passengers on the national high way no. 17. The net result is absolute traffic chaos on the national highway at Cuncolim market. TOURIST TAXI There is a need to have a bus stand preferably near the new football ground at kalata Cuncolim. Need to have a tourist taxi stand and for motorcycle pilots at Cuncolim bazaar. MOTORCYCLE PILOTS The current situation is motorcycle pilots operate from two places at Cuncolim one opposite the keni Pharmacy and another group near the four road junction at Cuncolim bazaar. TAXI STAND – There is a need for a taxi stand as the situation stands private taxi drivers who are plying their trade from opposite Keni Pharmacy are passing their vehicles on both sides of the road leading to Dandora from Cuncolim bazaar leading to reduction of the width of the road and causing traffic problems. There is a need to have a taxi stand at the disposal of the taxi owners to play their trade. PARKING ARRANGEMENTS AND TRAFFIC FLOW DURING SUNDAY MASS It is observed that on Sunday’s additional inflow of new hawkers selling different fruit items, vegetable and other food commodities and other items make it to the market. The hawkers are lined up on the road leading from Cuncolim church and leading to the maddicotto chapel. So it is closure of the road for residents of maddicotto Osnimaddem, gutton , Molanguinim, zuzegal who after the Sunday mass where passing through the road freely without any encumbrance for the last several decades . The residents now have to move to the already crowded national highway and connect back to the road at maddicotto chapel leading to traffic chaos. Is the closure of the road authorized by a gazette notification on a particular day. Has any one got details about the same? People attending religious ceremonies on sunday cannot take their vehicles to the church compound. Instead People have to park their vehicles on both sides of the road leading to Dandora from the Dandora side. People attending church from the other three side attending mass who are able to take the vehicles to the church compound then have to literally slog out to come out of the traffic inferno created by the short sightness of the Cuncolim municipal council. On Sunday Foot path and roads are being blocked to accommodate additional hawkers. giving the high court judgment a blind eye and effectively inviting provisions of the contempt of court proceedings. SUGGESTION—the immediate remedy to the solution would be to shift the additional Sunday hawkers to the fields near the Cuncolim football ground making provision for parking of vehicles at the proposed site and also level the field for the comfort of the hawkers, thus decongesting the market and also easing out some of the problems of traffic on a mad rush Sunday. The CMC has to plan for another 50 years in mind and not with short term interest in mind. HAWKING ZONE Has CMC any hawking zone. If they have not done so far, Have they identified any hawking zone. Why has not be done. GADDAS How many gaddas have been removed- where have they being rehabilitated. FISH MARKET The old fish market makes for a new look one. New fish market construction after demolition old one is waste of money and instead of decongestion it has led to congestion. For the unknown it mat be stated here that the the new fish market at the site of the old market is a plus one building where in the the ground floor is reserved for fish, and meat sellers while the upper floor houses shops. It is necessary to decongest the existing places, but instead the CMC has added up to the congestion. SIGN BOARDS The CMC should install sign boards at village boundaries- at balli, Dandora, simplear Panzorconi. Also ward wise naming sign boards should be installed by the CMC for the benefit of visitors visting Cuncolim who will find it easy to locate a particular place. DRAINAGE--- It has been noticed that seweage water has been released in the drainage constructed by PWD and CMC at different places.. Land acquisition, land to be used by CMC for development projects– the CMC plan to acquire the land adjacent to the maddicotto chapel is with ulterior motives, hurting the religious sentiments of the minority communities as a fish market or any other public utility project will lead to a lot of garbage and filth. Why are they interested in only that place close to the chapel there several other field near the new football ground which can be good places for market projects or for construction of government offices. Further the area is a flood prone area,, which will mean that business communities will suffer. It may be recalled here that only last year on account of less rain water from floods had not entered the business premises of Cuncolim bazaar. Other wise flood water entering the business premises had been a regular feature. What is the action plan for drainage of water planned by the CMC? Fears are expressed that Water will enter maddicotto chapel if CMC plans to go ahead with project. Recently CMC in another controversial decision had planned to construct a toilet close to the St Francis Xavier chapel at Cuncolim bazaar. The project was finally shelved after opposition from the locals of a toilet being constructed close to the chapel. CHARTER OF DEMANDS FROM CUNCOLIM CONSUMER CIVIC FORUM The consumer civic forum plans to have charter of demands for Cuncolim, I suggest to them to write to the MLA and CMC to get an insight on what they plan for Cuncolim, the need is to have a copy of the a)Development plans of MLA b)Development plans of CMC Greater use of the net to target young people to get involved in the movement of consumer forum through out Cuncolim and also to involve more volunteers INDUSTRIAL ESTATE-= CASE STUDY I Request the consumer civic forum to involve any school, higher secondary or college from Cuncolim to do a case study of the Cuncolim industrial estate, with help from school teachers. What happened to the incident when fish was found dead in the rivulet close to the industrial estate around a year back. The issue has got a back seat why. The reasons is simple nobody was vigilant enough to follow the incident. THE CUNCOLIM INDUSTRIAL ESTATE MAKES FOR AN INTERESTING STUDY – How many power guzzlers (Steel in got making) units had been set up How many have closed down How much subsidy has been paid to the industries? Power bills outstanding against their names of units close down. Names and products, and raw materials used by the existing industries. Disposal of garbage, disposal of other wastes by the industries Locals employed in industries Living quarters for staff Are all industry owners from out side the state? PROJECTS ADJACENT TO THE FOOTBALL GROUND. To find out the projects which are coming close to the new football ground at Cuncolim bazaar.