Daily functioning is hampered as a result
TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Absence of a full-time secretary at the Benaulim Village Panchayat has triggered a row of sorts in the village.
While Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva has maintained that the Director of Panchayats has by an order dated August 8 deputed a full-time secretary for Benaulim, Sarpanch Royla Fernandes has begged to differ. Royla said till Monday the panchayat is being looked after by a Secretary, who holds an additional charge and who makes his presence felt in the panchayat only twice a week.
That’s not all. The Panchayat Secretary Paresh Rane has told the Sarpanch on Monday that he has not received any communication till date from the panchayat authorities, regarding his full-time appointment in Benaulim.
However, Caitu’s Personal Assistant Elvis Gomes produced an order dated August 8 issued by the Director of Panchayats Narayan Sawant clearly stating that Rane has been appointed full-time secretary of Benaulim Panchayat.
What has given a new twist to the entire episode is that the Salcete BDO office says that it has received the Panchayat Director’s order only on Friday ~ 15 days after it was issued by the Panchayat Director’s office. Salcete BDO Manuel Barretto, when contacted, stated that the Panchayat Director’s order could not be implemented immediately since the process of relieving the Panchayat Secretary in 2-3 panchayat bodies in Salcete is underway.
The issue over the absence of a full-time secretary at Benaulim panchayat had figured prominently at the gram sabha on Sunday. Sarpanch Royla Fernandes has declared at the meeting that the Panchayat functioning has been adversely hit for want of a full fledged Panchayat Secretary. In fact, the gram sabha had taken a resolution to lead a delegation to the Chief Minister and Panchayat Minister to draw their attention to the difficulties faced by Benaulim panchayat in the absence of a full-fledged secretary.
