Only three locals turn up for Merces meet

Only three locals turn up for Merces meet
TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
MERCES: The panchas outnumbered the villagers as Merces Panchayat passed a budget of Rs 48 lakh for the year 2013-14 at the Gram Sabha on Sunday.
Apart from eight panchas and the sarpanch, only three villagers attended the Gram Sabha, as the budget was presented and passed unanimously.
Panch Prakash Naik took exception to the government decision of doing away with house tax which has put a huge financial burden on the panchayat and as such developmental works cannot be undertaken in the village with the government providing a meagre Rs 3 lakh as compensation.
Naik then moved a resolution stating that the government should provide more funds to undertake development in the village and also to meet other expenses.
Naik also resolved that Merces locals should be given preference in an upcoming tourism project that is planned in the village.
Speaking on the non-availability of Griha Aadhar forms, Sarpanch Yatin Palekar demanded that the government should make available the forms at the panchayat office so that all the villagers benefit from the scheme and not only the BJP members.
“Currently, the BJP members are distributing forms to their party cadres while the rest of the villagers are finding it difficult to get these forms due to its ‘shortage’,” he alleged and added that such type of discrimination is “undemocratic”.
Panch Lavu Hoble brought it to the notice of the panchayat various illegalities undertaken on the banks of the Vaddy-Merces to Ribandar-Patto road, which he said is proving a hindrance to the widening of the road.
“The panchayat should intimate concerned authorities so that swift action is taken and the widening of the road and other developmental works in the area are completed at the earliest,” he resolved.
Hoble also proposed the widening of the Chimbel to Merces road and also installing a high mast lamp near the Merces ground so that the area is well illuminated.