Team Herald
VASCO: The Mormugao Block Development Officer (BDO) on Thursday relieved Cansaulim Arossim and Cuelim (CAC) panchayat secretary Pradeep Tamhankar following demands from the villagers.
Sancoale panchayat secretary Arjun Velip has been given the additional charge of the panchayat.
According to the information, following complaints from the CAC villagers, the Director of Panchayats, Gurudutt Pilankar on April 29, 2016, had issued transfer 0rder of CAC panchayat secretary Pradeep Tamhankar and posted him to Mormugao BDO office until further orders. Similarly, the Velsao-Pale-Issorcim panchayat secretary Murlidhar Salgaonkar was given additional charge of CAC panchayat.
Acting on the transfer order, Mormugao BDO, Premanand Naik on July 20, 2016 issued a relieving order against Tamhankar directing Salgaonkar to take charge of CAC Panchayat. However, due to some reasons, the relieving order was finally kept on hold before the same could be delivered to Tamhankar.
The mysterious action of BDO had left the villagers disappointed and agitated and thus the villagers raised the issue at the July 23 gram sabha demanding immediate transfer of Tamhankar.
Finally, Mormugao BDO, Premanand Naik, on Thursday, issued the orders relieving Tamhankar, and also issued orders to Sancoale panchayat secretary Arjun Velip to hold additional charge of CAC VP.
Meanwhile, the Mormugao BDO office has been facing immense hardships in managing the affairs of 10 panchayats in its jurisdiction due to shortage of secretaries. According to Mormugao BDO sources, they have a total of 8 secretaries in Mormugao block to serve 10 panchayats, of which, two have been holding additional charge of more than one panchayat and with the recent transfer of Tamhankar, a total of six panchayats would suffer as three secretaries would be holding additional charge under Mormugao BDO, which in turn would also hamper the routine functioning of the panchayat having sectaries holding additional charge.
“Presently, Cortalim Quelossim and Nagoa panchayat has no full-time secretary and the secretary from Majorda VP has been holding additional charge of Cortalim VP. Similarly, Verna VP secretary has been holding additional charge of Nagoa VP and with the transfer of Tamhankar, the additional charge of CAC panchayat has been given to Sancoale VP secretary. This clearly means that affairs at all six panchayats out of 10 would be affected due to secretaries holding additional charge and three secretaries would be performing duties in six panchayats,” informed a Mormugao BDO staff.
