TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Village Panchayat of Betalbatim held under chairmanship of sarpanch Maria E Fernandes witnessed pandemonium over the issue of imposition of trade/commercial tax on hotels in its jurisdiction.
After reading the last gram sabha report when the same was taken up for confirmation gram sabha members questioned the sarpanch on action taken on resolutions adopted at last gram sabha including that on imposition of tax on hotels.
Villagers questioned the criteria followed by the panchayat body to impose tax and also sought to know the amount of tax collected from individual hotels. There were allegations that the panchayat was favouring two hotels, even as they accusing the body for not collecting tax on all rooms of the two hotels. While a copy of action taken report was circulated amongst the villagers, they expressed dissatisfaction as sarpanch as well the panchayat secretary failed to give satisfactory reply to queries raised by villagers.
Sarpanch Fernandes was questioned by Joaquim Faleiro why the four speed breakers put up on a 10 meters road to a hotel which are illegal had not been removed till date when it had been promised at last meeting by sarpanch to remove the same.
Faleiro reminded the panchayat that the speed breakers were put without following proper procedure and that the same be removed and if need be installed after necessary formalities. Villagers were agitated as sarpanch gave vague reply that the panchayat body has started process to acquire 50 meters along beach stretch when asked on action on resolution adopted at last gram sabha as the panchayat body failed to produced any proof before the villagers.
