TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PONDA: With mounting public pressure, the seven panchas in the 11-member Bandora Panchayat on Sunday assured to move a no-confidence motion against the sarpanch for her alleged inability to act against a controversial project at Farmagudi-Ponda.
The inconclusive gram sabha that lasted for over 4 hours was finally adjourned and this is the fourth time since January that the gram sabha has been adjourned.
It may be recalled that in January the gram sabha was adjourned after the panchayat reportedly failed to demolish approach road to the controversial land at Farmagudi which was declared to be “illegal” by the panchayat. In March, the gram sabha was postponed over the absence of Sarpanch Sulaksha Naik. Villagers had raised doubts over the medical leave applied by the sarpanch as she had reportedly attended a public function. In April, the gram sabha was again adjourned after the panchayat reportedly admitted its failure to take action over an alleged illegal ongoing developmental work at Farmagudi.
The villagers since the last 4 years have been agitating to protect huge tracts of grazing land from becoming a concrete jungle.
According to the villagers, the land originally belonged to Bandora Comunidade and was illegally transferred to private party.
On Sunday, when the villagers questioned the sarpanch with regard to the ongoing developmental works at the controversial land at Farmagudi, the sarpanch reportedly failed to reply.
Unhappy over the incident, villagers demanded to replace the sarpanch and subsequently the seven panchas agreed to move no-confidence motion against the sarpanch. A resolution was also passed in this regard.
According to information, the seven panchas will complete the process to move no-confidence motion during its monthly meeting scheduled in mid November.
Noisy scenes were witnessed during the gram sabha after Deputy Sarpanch Ramchandra Naik misquoted a villager. However, Naik soon apologised and said he did not hear it correctly. Villagers even went charging towards the dais however an apology helped to restore the peace.
While the gram sabha was in progress, a pancha citing health related issue left the gram sabha.
