TEAM HERALD
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CORTALIM: Disagreeing with the procedure adopted by the panchayat for building a market complex at Cortalim, the Cortalim-Quelossim gram sabha has demanded that the market plan be placed before it for finalising the project.
The gram sabha members also demanded that list of vendors submitted to the local MLA for rehabilitation in the proposed complex, be placed before gram sabha for scrutiny.
Criticising the panchayat for attempting to keep the villagers in the dark, the villagers wanted to know as to which committee was entrusted with the project.
Acting Sarpanch Merciana Vaz who conducted the gram sabha informed that there was a market scrutiny committee and local MLA Alina Saldanha was its chairperson.
At this stage, Panch Raymond De Sa informed that although the resolution to form a scrutiny committee was passed by the panchayat, the panchayat had no role to play in the appointment of the members on the committee and neither the copy of the market plan was available in the panchayat.
“I have been demanding that all the panchas be appointed on the committee but only the sarpanch is one of the members,” claimed De Sa.
Panchayat Secretary Asha Mesta also expressed ignorance as to who had appointed members on the committee.
After deliberations, the gram sabha decided that the market plan and the list of beneficiaries be placed before them for deliberations.
Some villagers were of the view that all the three plans which were submitted by the three architects in response to an expression of interest for the project also be placed before the gram sabha.
“This will help in choosing the right plan in an transparent manner so that there are no allegations that the plan has been handpicked and it will also display a unified and professional approach to the project,” said a villager.
The gram sabha also rejected government plans for extension and upgradation of Cortalim fishing jetty since the jetty will not help locals as there are no trawler owners in the village.
The villagers also opposed the airport at Mopa. They also demanded that the advisory issued by the TCP to Director of Panchayats be withdrawn.
