Candolim villagers have demanded immediate safety measures at Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) work sites, including open trench locations, after a worker died at a construction site in nearby Calangute. The concerns were raised at the Candolim panchayat gram sabha, where residents also sought measures to address a possible water shortage and traffic risks linked to speeding tourist vehicles.
Residents said open trenches at ongoing work sites could endanger people in Candolim. “Just like in Calangute, work is going on in Candolim with open trenches and people’s lives might be in danger,” locals said at the meeting, according to the report.
Sarpanch Blaize Fernandes said he would speak to GSIDC chairperson Michael Lobo and request that the contractor responsible for the work introduce safety measures. The report did not specify the exact location of the Calangute work site where the worker died or the circumstances of the death.
The gram sabha’s construction-safety concerns come alongside a broader discussion on Candolim’s preparedness for a possible water shortage. Villagers asked whether the panchayat had taken steps to manage deficient rainfall and an anticipated reduction in Public Works Department water supply.
Residents proposed auditing wells, springs and ponds across Candolim so that local water sources could be used during an emergency. They also suggested cleaning these sources in advance. Fernandes said the panchayat was exploring the purchase of a water tanker to supply residents if required.
The sarpanch said the panchayat was preparing proposals to rejuvenate ponds and establish a mini-filtration plant for potable water, subject to government approval. “We will have a water problem from Feb to April-May. There are 12 ponds, and we are planning to put filters, aerate them and use the water. We’ve already started working on the proposal which has to get govt approval,” he said.
Fernandes also said two overhead tanks were being constructed in Orda and Saipem. These tanks are expected to receive water from the upcoming water treatment plant in Pilerne, where work is currently under way, according to the report.
The gram sabha further discussed garbage dumping in open spaces, allegations that hotels were releasing sewage on roads and illegal constructions. These issues add to the panchayat’s responsibilities around public health, sanitation and enforcement in a settlement facing construction activity and seasonal pressure on water supplies.
Residents also urged the village panchayat to write to the traffic police and other authorities seeking a speed limit of 30kmph. They said speeding tourist vehicles were contributing to accident risks. The panchayat is expected to take up the request with the relevant authorities, while Fernandes’s proposed communication with the GSIDC chairperson is the next stated step on work-site safety.
