MARGAO: The well attended gram sabha of the Ambelim village panchayat on Sunday unanimously resolved to abolish the electricity tax. The decision stemmed from concerns that the tax was being charged twice by the Power Department, resulting in double taxation for the citizens.
The gram sabha chaired by Sarpanch Alex D’Silva witnessed deliberations on several crucial issues concerning the village. These included advocating for equal status to the Roman script.
Clifton Almeida proposed during the gram sabha that the electricity tax should be abolished due to concerns over double charging by the Power Department.
He also proposed that due to insufficient funds allocated to each panch for weed cutting and cleaning of drains, contractors or tenders should be involved in the process.
Additionally, it was resolved during the gram sabha to collect a tax of one month’s rent annually from landlords who rent out rooms to tenants.
During the deliberation on the issue, it was pointed out that many landlords neglect to conduct police verifications for their tenants, raising concerns about security and compliance with local regulations. Simultaneously, the issue of non-payment of shop rent by shop owners was also discussed, with arrears mounting rapidly.
The secretary informed that future contracts will include a provision requiring shop owners to pay a six-month deposit rent upfront as part of the terms and conditions.
During a presentation on garbage collection and treatment, the Sarpanch proposed levying a garbage tax of Rs 150 per month while abolishing the annual tax of Rs. 250.
Villagers pointed out that Ambelim had already set up its own Material Recovery Facility (MRF), suggesting that waste could be processed locally rather than being sent to the Chinchinim MRF. Sarpanch informed the villagers that the government has stopped funding to the panchayat for garbage collection and treatment and hence they are forced to ultise panchayat funds.
