TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The special gram sabhas on the Socio Economic & Caste Census kicked up a row of sorts in Salcete over the printing of the census books in Devnagiri, with some gram sabhas adopting resolutions to return back the booklets.
That’s not all. While villagers were at a complete loss to read the same as they were not comfortable with the Devnagiri script, the village panchayat secretaries could be of no help to the members. In some cases, perusal of the list revealed that the list only consisted of names and did not contain house numbers, addresses and wards where the persons enlisted are residing.
The gram sabhas of Dramapur-Sirlim, Orlim and Rachol joined the counterparts in Loutolim and other panchayats to adopt resolutions to return back the booklets with a plea to either re-print them in English or in Roman Konkani for better understanding.
At Dramapur-Sirlim, when the census booklet was placed before the gram sabhas on Sunday, members sought to know the contents in the booklet, saying they are at pains to understand the contents written in Devnagiri. A gram sabha member Delano D’Costa pointed out that while the outer cover of the booklet and the page left for signatures were printed in English, the actual report is written in Devnagiri.
He and other gram sabha members demanded that the panchayat return back the booklet to the concerned authorities with a plea to re-print the booklet either in English or Roman Konkani for the benefit of the people. The gram sabha also adopted a resolution demanding that the cost of re-printing the booklet should be recovered from officials in charge of statistics.
Meanwhile, the Orlim gram sabha has resolved to return the census documents back to the authorities on grounds they could not understand the contents. Gram sabha member Kim Miranda said members have demanded that the authorities make arrangement to send the reports either in English or in Roman Konkani. She also pointed out that the report contained glaring discrepancies.
Rachol sarpanch Joseph Vaz said the Sunday gram sabha has unanimously resolved to return back the census booklets back to the authorities with a request to reprint them in English and Roman Konkani.
The gram sabha members could not understand what is mentioned in the census reports. They have demanded clarity”, Vaz added.
Meanwhile, the Loutolim gram sabha have requested the authorities to provide the lists in English language and with proper addresses of the persons enlisted. It is also requested to give ample time to the public to peruse the list and submit additions, etc.
Sarpanch Maria Monteiro said that gram sabha members were shocked and enraged to find the draft list of the Socio Economic & Caste Census 2011 in Devnagiri .
While villagers were at a complete loss to read the same as they were not comfortable with the Devnagiri script, the village panchayat secretaries could be of no help to the members
