TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: In an interesting development, Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco has called a meeting with the Curtorim panch members on Thursday morning over the Panchayat’s refusal to convene the gram sabha meeting to discuss the controversial 85-room hotel project as per the directions of the Salcete Block Development Officer.
Reginaldo’s move assumes significance given that the Panchayat no for the gram sabha had generated heat in the village, with villagers turning up for the Sunday gram sabha only to find the panchayat office locked.
While inviting the Panchayat representatives to his office for the meeting, the Curtorim MLA in his letter said as an MLA he cannot remain a silent spectator to the whole issue, while underlining the need to find ways and means to sort out the issue to the satisfaction of all concerned.
“An impression is being created in the village that the village Panchayat is reluctant to reconvene the August 10 adjourned gram sabha despite directions by the BDO. This has created lot of misunderstanding in the minds of the public, which needs to be cleared,” he said.
Incidentally, many an eyebrow has been raised amongst the Panchayat representatives over the MLA’s move to write letters to the individual panchas when it was perceived that he enjoyed control over the Panchayat body.
When contacted, Reginaldo said that he has called the meeting with the Curtorim Panch members to discuss the issue since there is misunderstanding created in the minds of the people on the hotel project.
Acting Sarpanch Simon Barretto confirmed having received a letter from the MLA inviting him for the meeting.
The Panchayat body has last week adopted a resolution rejecting the BDO’s directions to the Panchayat secretary to convene a gram sabha on August 31 on grounds that the gram sabha held on August 10, which was abruptly ended over the hotel project, was concluded by transacting all business listed on the agenda.
