VASCO: Three panchayat members of the Sancoale village panchayat have raised strong objections to the decision of the panchayat to relocate the gram sabha scheduled for Sunday, August 27, to the newly constructed cyclone shelter at Zuarinagar. The acting Sarpanch, Girish Pillai, defended the decision, stating that it was made in response to objections raised by villagers.
The three panchayat members – Tulshidas Naik, Maurelio Carvalho, and Nidhi Naik – have submitted a memorandum to the Mormugao Block Development Officer (BDO), demanding the immediate replacement of the panchayat secretary, who is a gram sevak. They argue that such an individual should not be entrusted with the responsibilities of a large village panchayat.
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The panchas contend that the decision to shift the gram sabha venue was taken without consulting all elected members. They note that the gram sabha was not convened in June, prompting an order from the Mormugao BDO to hold the session. They further allege that Girish Pillai, who was elected deputy sarpanch, has been functioning as acting sarpanch, a position not provided for in the Goa Panchayati Raj Act.
According to the panchayat members, the acting sarpanch neither obtained consensus from the other members, nor passed a resolution before relocating the venue to Zuarinagar. They also highlight that local MLA Anton Vas, who chairs the Zuarinagar Cyclone Shelter Home, was not informed, and has conveyed his objections to the BDO.
Tulshidas Naik said that a previous gram sabha was disrupted midway, resulting in criminal cases filed against seven villagers who were questioning the Sarpanch.
Appealing to three panchayat members not to divide Sancoale village, acting sarpanch Girish Pillai said that the decision to shift the gram sabha venue was taken after the panchayat received objections from the villagers. He pointed out that the Shelter
Home comes under the panchayat and that Zuarinagar is also a part of Sancoale village, with seven elected members.
Pillai said that the panchayat had a bad experience during the last gram sabha, which turned stormy with villagers using bad language and creating chaos, forcing them to adjourn the gram sabha. Due to this, the building owners wrote to the panchayat requesting not to conduct gram sabha on the ground floor and disturb the peace of occupants. He added that the building owners have also warned the panchayat they will have to vacate the premises in case the gram sabha turns chaotic again, on Sunday.
