Team Herald
BICHOLIM: Some alert residents from Mayem have warned the panchayat secretary from issuing No Objection Certificate (NOC) to a bar in the village on the directions of the additional panchayat director.
It may be recalled that Mayem panchayat area already has about 60 bars and time and again the villagers from Mayem have opposed any move to give fresh licences to new bars in the village.
The gram sabhas have also taken several resolutions in this regard.
The controversy began when through an order, the additional panchayat director asked the Mayem panchayat secretary to issue NOC to a bar owner in the village. The villagers have now warned that if any such NOC is given then the government and the secretary have to bear the consequences.
Addressing a press conference, here, Sakharam Pednekar and Kamlakant Tari, who were always in the forefront in opposing the bars informed that since 2003 there have been no NOCs given to any bars in the village because of strong opposition from the villagers.
“We have a population of about 12,000 and there are 60 bars and now majority of the villagers do not want any more bars. We strongly demand that even some of the illegal bars should be closed down,” Pednekar stated.
“We want to ask the government whether they are trying to instigate the villagers by issuing such orders through higher authorities. Gram sabha is against issuing of NOCs to any more bars and if the order is not taken back, the government will have to face the consequences,” Pednekar said.
They mentioned because of the bars there are many youth and families who have suffered. There are many widows in the village because of this vice and we do not want any more bars in the village.
Tari also warned the panchayat secretary and told him not to go against the resolutions taken in the gram sabha.
