Residents of Puntambe village have challenged disputed resolutions recorded in an earlier gram sabha and raised continuing complaints about drinking-water shortages at a subsequent meeting, where village sarpanch Swati Pawar announced that the contested resolutions had been annulled.
The dispute centred on the minutes of the previous gram sabha. Villagers said several resolutions had been recorded even though no discussion had taken place on them during that meeting. The issue led to an argument during the gram sabha held on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti. Pawar, who chaired the meeting, subsequently declared the disputed resolutions cancelled.
Drinking water was the main operational concern raised by residents. Water from the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme is only 60% to 70% complete, according to the scheme’s branch engineer, who said that the remaining work was facing a shortage of funds. Residents also said that the scheme site did not have a filtration facility and that many households were being forced to buy water.
Complaints were raised that several parts of the village were still not receiving adequate water through household taps. Former gram panchayat members Chandrakant Watekar, Sarjerao Jadhav and Balasaheb Kulat sought explanations about shortcomings in the water-supply project. The report said the residents did not receive the expected answers during the meeting.
Sanjay Jogdand proposed that a special gram sabha be convened to discuss the water scheme. Watekar warned that the gram panchayat administration should give priority to development works, otherwise residents would be compelled to protest against those in power at the gram panchayat. Member Anil Nale appealed to villagers to use water carefully and also sought cooperation in recovering water and house taxes.
The meeting also took place against the backdrop of drought conditions. Veterinary officer Ashok Bhonde said that a livestock survey had begun and that farmers with access to water would be provided seeds by the government to grow green fodder for animals. Agricultural assistant Vaishali Pund said that 90% of the assessment reports for drought-affected crops had been completed through the agriculture department for the purpose of drought assistance.
The absence of the gram sevak became another point of contention. According to the report, the gram sevak had previously approved resolutions under which notices were issued to encroachers, contributing to the dispute over the earlier meeting’s proceedings. Talathi Sanjay Doke, former sarpanch Sudhakar Jadhav and other local representatives attended the gram sabha, while opposition leaders were reported to have stayed away.
The immediate next step proposed in the meeting is a special gram sabha on the water scheme. The report does not specify when that meeting will be held or when funding for the unfinished work will be released.
