TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CALANGUTE: The recently reported TCP advisory to the Directorate of Panchayat which stated that Gram Sabhas have no powers to decide on construction licences to multi-dwelling units seems to have a negative effect on Calangute gram sabha on Sunday.
Only a handful, to be exact 21 members, including six staff members of Calangute Panchayat attended the Gram Sabha besides Sarpanch Ana Maria C D’Souza, Panchayat Secretary Kishore Pagi, Panchas Geeta Laxman Parab and Filomena Fernandes, co-opted member Sajjan Parsekar and Observer Bhanudas Madgaonkar.
Deliberating over road widening issue, Agostinho Proenca said mere road widening will not solve issues like congestion, but proper directives are required at the road widened site, especially at Bodkea Vhodd, which is posing a threat to life and property.
Sarpanch D’Souza assured to take up the issue with Calangute Traffic Cell to display signboards and barricading.
Another member, Anthony D’Souza, raised the issue of encroachment of drains/nullahs and asked the gram sabha to pass a resolution to remove necessary encroachments.
Jose Braganza pointed to similar encroachments in Naikka-Porba Vaddo where a builder has encroached on a drain/nullah and asked Calangute Panchayat to carry out site inspection. Sarpanch D’Souza agreed to look into the matter and a resolution to remove encroachments and maintain the drains through the Panchayat funds was adopted.
With no other business, the Gram Sabha came to an end at about 12.15 pm, the earliest ever during the last couple of years.
