PANJIM: Sunita Yatin Palyekar and Amstrong Braganza were elected unopposed as sarpanch and deputy sarpanch, respectively, of Merces panchayat, on Saturday.
The new team has promised to solve the garbage issue. The sarpanch post is reserved for women.
In the 11-member panchayat, the ruling panel of seven panchas are Sunita Yatin Palyekar (wife of Yatin Palyekar, ex-sarpanch), Amstrong Braganza, Prakash Gopi Naik, Pranita Vinod Kalangutkar (supported by Walter D’Sousa, ex-sarpanch), Geeta Krishna Kavlekar (supported by Prakash), Rufina Quadros (wife of Assis Fernandes – ex-sarpanch) and Mukesh Shirgaonkar.
For the first time in Mercees, the last ruling panel has got either their wives or their candidate elected proving that the majority of the villagers were happy with the work done by last ruling panel. Prakash Naik of the ruling panel has taken the pains to unite all the seven members to form the panchayat.
The other members of the panchayat are Sandhya Anil Hoble, Girish Uskaikar, Venancio Gonsalves and Duarte Fernandes.
Former sarpanch and current Panch Prakash Naik said that their main aim is to have their own garbage treatment plant for Merces. He said they are in the process of identifying a place for the plant, which is yet to be cleared by Pollution Control Board.
