Team Herald
MAPUSA: Chaos reigned supreme at the Anjuna gram sabha, which was held after a year as the sarpanch abruptly concluded the meeting without taking the members into confidence.
It may be recalled that the last gram sabha was held in May 2016 and since then there were many problems which remained unsolved.
Also the issues raised & resolutions passed in last gram sabha were also not implemented by the panchayat. Before the gram sabha could start, the locals sought answers from the panchayat for failing to conduct gram sabhas since the last year.
To this, Sarpanch Pratima Govekar said that due to space constraint they could not hold any of the gram sabha for the past one year since the new panchayat building work is currently underway and the panchayat hall too was occupied with gym equipment, documents of the panchayat and Talathi. Since the Directorate of Panchayats notified us to hold the gram sabha we held the same time in the panchayat hall which was recently emptied.
The locals said that the panchayat should have arranged for a space outside the panchayat hall by putting tents.
The resolution with regards to the new gymnasium building passed a year ago and funds for the same were sanctioned but work is yet to begin. People demanded an explanation from the panchayat on the issue, to which the panch said that the issue is pending because of mutation and in next two days they will meet the Deputy Collector and try and get it cleared. There was confusion when the locals learnt that the panchayat has approved budget for financial year 2017-18 without informing the gram sabha.
The members demanded a hearse van and an ambulance under MPLAD scheme for the village. They also informed the sabha that since last 15 years, the Kadamba bus service from Anjuna-Vagator-Panjim via Mapusa and demanded that the same be restarted.
Sandesh, a local requested panchayat to clear the mud allegedly dumped by the ice factory after its demolition as it is currently blocking flow of sea water and in the monsoons it may lead to water stagnation. The sarpanch assured to do the needful.
The villagers also demanded a Bal Bhavan for school students as since last 5 years, it has been functioning from a Government Primary School.
The locals were left infuriated as they claimed that the panchayat failed to inform them on today’s gram sabha. At the previous gram sabha a resolution was passed that the panchayat will publish in all the newspapers about the gram sabha seven days prior. The sarpanch apologised to the locals and assured that they will publish the same in future.
Michael Pereira, chairman of biodiversity board demanded office space for biodiversity office in the new panchayat building.
Sarpanch Pratima Govekar then abruptly concluded the gram sabha which further infuriated the locals.
At the gram sabha of the 11 ward members only 3 including sarpanch were present.
