TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CALANGUTE: It may be one of the richest and busiest panchayats in the State, but the Calangute Panchayat has been without a full-time secretary for almost a month severely hampering activities in the village.
While an unhappy Calangute Panch and de facto leader Joseph Sequeira has alleged that “political interference” was behind the transfer of the previous panchayat secretary, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has insisted that the secretary had been shunted out “due to gross malpractices and irregularities.”
The Calangute Panchayat has been without a full-time panchayat secretary for almost a month and speculations are rife that this vacancy has arisen due to the political fallout between Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and Joseph Sequeira.
“The functioning of the Calangute Panchayat is affected due to non-availability of full-time panchayat secretary for almost a month now. We last held our fortnightly meeting on December 16, hampering works like the site inspections on illegalities, etc, which are kept on hold,” Sequeira told Herald.
“It looks like a politician has been misleading the Block Development Officer over shuffling of panchayat secretaries for Calangute,” Said Sequeira, while indirectly hinting at the involvement of Calangute MLA Lobo.
“Earlier, Arpora-Nagoa Panchayat Secretary Rui Cardozo was given additional charge for last 25 days, later Parra Panchayat Secretary Eknath Talkar was given additional charge of Calangute. The ultimate sufferers are the villagers of Calangute,” he added.
When contacted, Lobo said Calangute Panchayat Secretary Kishore Pagi was removed due to gross malpractices and irregularities and the matter is being investigated.
“A suitable panchayat secretary will be designated to the Calangute Panchayat soon, but the functioning of the efficient panchayat cannot come to a standstill due to want of a full-time panchayat secretary,” said Lobo.
It may be recalled that Panchayat Secretary Pagi was allegedly removed from the post of Calangute panchayat secretary following differences over road-widening work from Calangute Association to Hotel Charlston, leading to a major spat between Lobo and Sequeira.
