Uproar at Areal sabha over scrap yards
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, NOV 21
Uproar marked the gram sabha meeting of Sao Jose de Areal panchayat on Sunday as members took the panchayat body to task on a host of issue.
Agitated members demanded immediate revocation of all NOCs issued to scrap yards, a workshop and a stone crusher sans conversion sanad and other mandatory procedures. The members pointed out that local villagers are forced to comply all rules and regulation even while obtaining a house number and demanded to know why the same rules are throw to the winds when it involves outsiders engaged in these businesses.
Demanding to know how the Panchayat body had granted NOC for the controversial workshop in the village, the members demanded that eh NOC issued to the workshop be revoked within eight days time.
The issue of the land filling activity also came to the fore when members demanded to know filling of low lying land in the village. When the members were informed that the owner’s contention that he is not involved in the land filling activity, they demanded that the Panchayat immediately lodge a complaint to the police, besides the Town and Country Planning department and the flying squad.
There was uproar over the absence of the Sarpanch Liberata Travasso for the meeting. Members demanded to know the absence of the sarpanch when she has convened the gram sabha meeting.
The members also took the secretary to task over the delays in holding the gram sabha meetings. Members pointed out that while the Panchayat has been prompt in holding the montly meeting, the gram sabha meetings are not being held as per the law.
Discrepancies over the meeting minutes also plunged the meeting into pandemonium. Changes effected in the minutes by using white eraser left the members fuming and it was finally resolved to ask the Panchayat to complaint to the Salcete Block Development Officer to inquiry into the tampering of the minutes book.
The gram sabha was later adjourned to December 5.
