FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
CANA-BENAULIM: The Cana-Benaulim gram sabha held on Sunday was adjourned after angry Benaulim villagers questioned Sarpanch Vencilla Fernandes regarding recording of sabha proceedings alleging that the Minutes Book had been tampered.
Interestingly, this was the second gram sabha in the coastal belt to be adjourned after the Carmona gram sabha held on August 29 was similarly adjourned with the Carmona villagers questioning Sarpanch Allwyn Jorge regarding video recording of the previous gram sabha proceedings.
Benaulim Aam Aadmi Party’s Zilla Panchayat member Hanzel Fernandes told Herald that “the Cana-Benaulim villagers were not properly informed regarding the gram sabha held today (September 26) morning resulting in the gram sabha that was to start at 9.30 am but only commenced an hour later as the members arrived late.”
“The major point of discussion of gram sabha was that the Minutes Book was tampered with as the book has to be handwritten and a page cannot be stuck onto it because a resolution has not been passed permitting to type, print and paste, a page on the Minutes Book,” said Benaulim AAP ZP member.
“Moreover, the minutes of the last gram sabha meeting held were not signed by the Panchayat Secretary, who sought a sick leave of absence on Friday, two days prior to the sabha, as if he was aware that he would be sick in advance. The Salcete Block Development Officer approved his sick leave. How can he apply a sick leave two days prior when he was in the Cana-Benaulim Village Panchayat office on Saturday? So he knew he was going to fall sick? It was like a pre-planned strategy as a new secretary attended the gram sabha,” Hanzel said.
Despite several attempts to contact, Sarpanch Vencilla was unavailable for comments.
However, when contacted, Deputy Sarpanch Nilesh Prabhudessai confirmed that ‘the gram sabha was adjourned and would now be held on Sunday, October 10. The reason for adjournment is that the previous gram sabha was held in August 2019 with no gram sabhas were held thereafter due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The minutes of the gram sabha held in August 2019 was not signed by then panchayat secretary Prabhakar Kamat so the gram sabha members demanded that the meeting be adjourned.
