Team Herald
VASCO: Quelossim gram sabha has resolved that locals should be given priority in employment in the industries that located in their jurisdiction.
Hosts of issues plaguing the village were discussed in the first gram sabha held on Sunday and attended by over 180 members and MLA Alina Saldanha.
The demand for employment for locals in the industries was placed by Lopinho Xavier. He said that the panchayat should make a list of industries (part of Verna IDC) existing in the jurisdiction of Quelossim and ask these industries to give first preference to the locals and if any vacancies arise then the same should be intimated to the panchayat. After a lengthy discussion, a resolution was adopted in this regard.
On the Mini India Project, Lopinho Xavier demanded that the panchayat should revoke/cancel the provisional NOC issued to the project proponent as the same was issued when the village was part of Cortalim-Quelosaim panchayat. To this, Sarpanch Maria Souza informed that the matter is presently before the court and the gram sabha should take a decision after court verdict.
However, as all members present were of the opinion that village doesn’t want Mini India project, there is no harm to adopt a resolution opposing the project. The decision was finally converted into unanimous resolution.
As Quelossim village consists of large number of ST population, it was brought to the notice of gram sabha that the government records shows that ST population in Quelossim is 1637 however in reality the same is about 2828 and hence it was resolved that government should verify the same though a survey by the office of Director of Planning Statistics and Evaluation.
The gram sabha also passed a resolution demanding reservation for STs in Goa legislative assembly and parliamentary seats as despite of such rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India, the ST population is not given such reservation in Assembly and Parliament seats.
On the issue of Kesarval Spring, the members said the spring should be brought under the control of panchayat and the same should be maintained as tourist point by providing required amenities/facilities.
The gram sabha elected a village level development committee and several development proposals were passed during the gram sabha that remained peaceful.
