SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
The landline phone number (0832) 2860372 of Village Panchayat of Sao Jose de Areal appears to be laid to “Rest in Peace (RIP)”, although the panchayat is paying the BSNL bills regularly.
I will not be mistaken and the villagers would agree that the said landline phone must have not been functioning or in use for the benefits of the villagers even for minimum 30 days out of the five years (1825 days).
This is a deliberate attempt by the present 11 members of the panchayat in order to escape attending to the calls from villagers and public at large, who may want to follow up with their pending issues. It happens to me as well. Whenever I call the sarpanch and other members on their mobile phones, they avoid answering the calls for they know who are the people calling and for what purpose, because of their dereliction of duties. Surely, the same case would be with other villagers. Bills are paid regularly.
Imagine how these 11 panchayat members are trying to avoid the people to speak over the landline phone and when called on their mobile phones, they do not answer. Not enough yet, when I visit the panchayat personally in the morning for the follow up of my issues, every member present there including the sarpanch pretend to be very busy and most of the time leaving the office stating that they have inspections or other appointments elsewhere.
I am asking these members when you say or give me in writing that panchayat have no powers to act on my complaints, what powers do you have to conduct inspections and under what Section? These members are passing resolutions that the encroachments and obstructions do not come under the purview of Goa Panchayat Raj Act to act against the encroachers and trespassers (Encroachment and Obstructions). They say the panchayat have no powers to file complaints/FIR against habitual encroachers/trespassers/anti social elements/drug peddlers despite naming them.
I want to tell the Secretary, please take Goa Panchayat Raj Act 1994 book and rub Section 73 on the faces of all 11 members. Can you do that? Why don’t you report the illegal resolutions passed by these crooks, corrupts, inefficient and incompetent members? Is it not your duty to report to Block Development Officer under Section 113 so that all the members can be rewarded according to their deeds? Is there any political pressure on you not to report any illegalities to higher authorities?
As the landline telephone bills are paid by the villagers and it is an essential service, the villagers have every right to condemn and expose the alleged corrupt members for their dereliction of duties and that the Secretary should ensure that the landline phone is functioning regularly.
Meanwhile, I challenge these 11 members and the Secretary to show me any written complaint that has been filed with the BSNL on non-functioning of the landline for the past five years.
We want our village panchayat landline phone to function immediately. We do not demand RIP which can be termed as “Rest In Peace” or “Return If Possible”, but we demand our legitimate and fundamental rights. The sarpanch should ensure that the landline phone functions regularly.
