Team Herald
PANJIM: Directorate of Panchayat has disqualified the Sarpanch and Deputy Sarpanch of Netravali village panchayat for misusing their powers by illegally collecting money from the visitors visiting the tourist spots in the village.
Sarpanch Rajani Gaonkar and deputy sarpanch Abhijit Dessai have been removed from their office and also cease to be members of panchayat for a period of five years.
The order was issued by Director of Panchayats Rajan Satardekar on February 21 based on a complaint filed by Shiv Sena vice president Rakhi Naik in 2018.
The complainant had stated that the duo were clandestinely collecting huge sums of money from unsuspecting tourists visiting Netravali as parking and garbage collection fees in the name of village panchayat, having thereon a forged seal of the panchayat.
The duo were charging Rs 1000 for violation of rules, Rs 50 for two-wheelers, Rs 100 for four wheelers and Rs 400 for six wheelers were charged towards garbage and parking.
The Panchayat Director found the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch guilty of the crime, considering that the Village Panchayat never issued such receipt books and seal which were used by them to fetch money from the visitors.
The duo were found guilty of violation of Goa Panchayat Raj Act of 1994.
