Aquem-Baixo sarpanch,deputy voted out
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MARCH 29
PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao-backed group in the nine-member Aquem-Baixo village panchayat on Monday ousted the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch from office in a no confidence motion.
At a meeting held this morning, the sarpanch Agnelo Dias and his deputy Sangeeta Naik were voted out of office by 7-2 votes.
Former Sarpanch Damu Naik, who was the staunch supporter of the incumbent Sarpanch also voted in favour of the motion along with the five signatories. The five signatories to the motion had charged the Sarpanch and his deputy for not complying with the Regional Plan and meting out harassment to the villagers.
After his ouster from office, Agnelo Dias termed the allegations made by the opposition group as false and baseless. “The Regional Plan could not be complied with as there were so many objections to the plan. I did not receive any help from the members to finalise the plan”, he said.
adding that all the Panch members were responsible for the failure to finalise the RP 2021.
He also refuted reports that he had defaulted in holding the gram sabha meetings on times, saying that members of the public can peruse the documents.
Dias blamed the politicians, including PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao for his interference in the functioning of the village Panchayat. “Panchayat administration functioned at a slow place because of political interferences. The Ministers should keep themselves away from Panchayat matters”, he added.
Meanwhile, the opposition group is likely to meet shortly to choose the candidates for the vacant posts of Sarpanch and deputy sarpanch. A member of the group Manuel Vaz said that all the Congress-backed members in the 9-member body should unite and come under one banner and elect a new Sarpanch.
