MARGAO: The concerned residents of Salcete are concerned as to what will happen to the resolutions taken at the gram sabhas, once administrators take over the functioning of panchayats in the State after June 19.
As the five-year term of the 186 panchayats in the State comes to an end this week, the administrators will take over the panchayats until the new panchayat body is elected.
However, given the considerable amount of time before the elections are held and when the sarpanchas are decided by the new panchayat body, locals hope that resolutions taken by them at gram sabhas are not ignored.
For instance, in Benaulim, several gram sabhas were held to chalk out the plan to fight the construction of the western bypass through the village on embankments and to stop the discharge of treated sewage water into River Sal. For this, the gram sabhas passed several resolutions for which the panchayat has to play an active role which includes approaching the courts. The locals want assurances from the government that the directions will be issued to the administrators to see that such resolutions are implemented.
“There have been instances in the past when there have been such periods after the tenure of a panchayat body and another is elected that many works at the panchayat level are just held up. What’s important is that there is clarity this time as to what the public can do if they have any grievances they have to take up with the panchayat and the administrator appointed is unable to address it,” said Oscar Faleiro.
“In the last few months, various measures were promised by the sarpanch and the panchayat body at gram sabhas or after site inspections based on complaints filed by the villagers. Will the panchayat under the control of the administrator follow through on this or wait for the new panchayat body to be elected,” asked Nita Rodrigues.
The officials from Directorate of Panchayat (DoP) stated that concerned villagers can take up any grievances they have with their respective Block Development Officers (BDOs).
