Team Herald
MAPUSA: After the Anjuna Caisua gram sabha was adjourned last Sunday, a special gram sabha was held on Friday to discuss two pending topics on agendas.
The first topic on the agenda was preparation of village development plan for the year 2019-2020 and the second was the functioning of Biodiversity Management Committee.
The biodiversity committee had requested the sarpanch to allot an office room in the panchayat building for the committee to function and hold monthly meetings. However, when Committee chairman Michael D’Souza asked about the status of their request, the sarpanch informed that he has forwarded an application to Directorate of Panchayat for approval.
D’Souza claimed that as per government rule, the local body should make provision for office for the Biodiversity Management committee to function and need not require anyone’s approval. “Since last seven years, we are requesting the sarpanch to allot us an office at the panchayat building. However, till date we haven’t received the office. We are forced to conduct our committee meetings outside the community hall located at Vagator Ground since last seven years,” D’Souza said.
Further when the topics for discussion as per agenda were over, the villagers present for the meeting demanded to discuss other issues which were left unsolved during last gram sabha.
The villagers had made application to discuss the load shedding issue and strongly demanded to pass resolution to stop issuing construction licence to mega projects till the new substation is ready since “low voltage is causing inconvenience to villagers.”
Villagers also claimed that residential projects coming up in the village are of no use to villagers and alleged that the sarpanch is acting friendly with the builders.
During the previous gram sabha, when people caused chaos, Sarpanch Savio Almeida adjourned the meeting and left from the hall.
“We had made application to discuss the issues pertaining to the village. The irregular electricity supply is a major concern and had demanded the sarpanch to stop issuing construction licence to mega projects. However, he refused to do so. If we raise voice against any illegalities, the panchayat issues notices to locals due to which people fear to speak in the gram sabha. Panchayat secretary is involved with sarpanch and have become personal secretary of Sarpanch who gets commission for such projects,” the locals alleged.
Addressing media after the meeting, the sarpanch stated that the panchayat has already written to the Power Minister, Executive Engineer, Assistant Engineer requesting to solve the power issue on priority.
Stating that there is a procedure to address any issue, Almeida said, “There is manner to address any issue and no topic can be discussed by shouting and yelling. I am ready to listen to the grievances of the people as we know that villagers attend gram sabha once in three months. But such type of behaviour is continues, development of the village will take a back seat.”
“People shouting at the gram sabha are misguiding the people due to which people who are actually facing difficulties are suffering. These people are the losing candidates who are upset with development of village. These people come to the panchayat only during gram sabha and not other time of the year. People should approach the sarpanch with their grievances and give sufficient time to find a solution to the issue,” Almeida added.
