Skeletons have been tumbling out of the closet at the Tivim Comunidade, as the present managing committee has been locking horns with the former managing committee on various irregularities in the comunidade.
Speaking to Herald, Tivim Comunidade President Peter Sequeira stated that the ex-managing committee of the comunidade of Tivim was yet to hand over audited accounts, “despite numerous written reminders to the Administrator of Comunidades (Bardez) and the clerk appointed by the Administrator’s Office.”
“We have reminded the administrator/clerk on various occasions to hand over allotted plot files to our comunidade office. We are still awaiting these files. We have also noticed in the Official Gazette that the administor/clerk is still processing the files in various survey numbers without notifying/approval of the comunidade of Tivim and without following the necessary procedure.”
Sequeira also stated that a lot of pages have been deliberately left blank in the Minutes book. “Continuity is not followed (probably to add in and manipulate at a later date). Some of the Minutes have only the clerk’s signature and not the managing committee. This proves that the minutes are a fraud as the meetings actually did not take place,” he said.
Tivim Comunidade Attorney Mathew D’Souza also alleged that comunidade rubber stamps are yet to be handed over by the ex-committee, despite various reminders to the clerk of comunidade.
D’Souza also alleged that temporary possession has been given to construct houses in various plots without following procedures outlined in Code of Comunidade and approval of the revenue department.
“We have evidence that the ex-comunidade committee has opened a total of nine accounts in various banks in Goa. We fail to understand why so many accounts were opened by the ex-committee,” asked D’Souza.
Sequiera told Herald that a general body meeting recently resolved to bring down the nine bank accounts to only two accounts. “We are now in the process of doing it,” said Sequeira.
Alleging an irregularity by the ex-committee, Sequeira said a contract had been awarded for Rs 91.17 lakh to develop a plot.
“When asked for details, the contractor gave us a one-page handwritten abstract and work order issued by an ex-attorney of Tivim Comunidade on the comunidade letterhead. No other details are available on this project. Without executing or completing any work, a payment of about Rs 79 lakh has been made to the contractor.”
“It has also been noticed that a sum of Rs 10.30 lakh was also paid to the contractor even after the election of the new committee.”
“After the matter was reported by the present Comunidade Managing Committee, the revenue department requested the North Goa Collector to look into this alleged fraud. The deputy collector then forwarded this matter to the Administrator of Comunidades of North Zone to inquire into this matter, but we are yet to see action on this matter,” said Sequeira.
Refuting the allegations, ex-comunidade president Jude D’Lima has denied that the Minutes Book had been manipulated and that, the general body meetings were not being conducted.
“We have not manipulated the Minute Book and the general body meetings used to be held regularly. The minutes book is always the responsibility of the clerk, so he should have maintained it. The clerk handles the rubber stamp, the files and the books, as he is appointed by the government,” said D’Lima.
Responding to irregularities in the development of a plot, D’Lima claimed the contractor had started the work without permission of the local panchayat and the work was stopped by the panchayat.
“The then Panchayat body demanded money and a few plots, but we refused them. By the time the permission was taken, we were no more in the committee. Regarding details of the work done by the contractor and all the money paid to him, it was the responsibility of the attorney and treasurer. If the present committee wants the contractor to complete the work, they can make him do it,” claimed D’Lima.
