Uproarious scenes at Cansaulim meet

CORTALIM, AUG 22
Uproarious scenes were witnessed at the Cansaulim gram sabha with the members nearly coming to blows.
The incident happened when a proposal which was read by a resident was refused to be incorporated in the minutes by a section of the members since it was not placed on the agenda.
Sheila Gracious along with other members strongly objected to the inclusion in the minutes since it was not placed on the agenda and which according to them was in violation of Panchayati Raj Act. She said that the proposal could be taken up after all items on the agenda were taken up.
However, some members including Panch Martha Saldanha supported the inclusion saying that the proposal was of a development nature.
When Gracious took the mike to speak on the subject, some members began booing at her. At this stage, Sarpanch Jose Manuel Fernandes announced that the meeting could not go ahead in such an atmosphere and adjourned the meeting.
Soon after the announcement, one Andrian Almeida came charging at Doctor Marconi Corriea. However, some members intervened and after some commotions brought the situation under control. Later, the police were also called in to maintain law and order.
Earlier, Gracias demanded that some wordings which were left out being incorporated in the minutes. She said that the wordings “… stop work order being issued to the builder immediately since the construction was in dispute as there was a letter from the TCP asking submission of fresh plans as …” had to be incorporated which the sarpanch agreed.
However, the builder one Babloo demanded that the request of incorporating the wordings be passed by the gram sabha. This was however turned down since the resolution was passed at the last gram sabha and the matter was not needed to be placed before the gram sabha afresh.
On the issue of the blockage of road leading to Park Hayat Hotel, Gracias wanted the action taken report on the directions of the Dy Collector Levinson Martins.
The sarpanch informed Gracias that he could not intervene in the matter since the deputy collector had issued directives to the police to ensure compliance of his order.
However, Verna PI J Dalvi when contacted told Herald that the job on the police is only to ensure protection. The work of removing blockade or speed breakers is the job of other departments to execute.
Later, speaking to Herald Andrian Almeida accused the doctor of abusing him. He said the doctor being an educated person.
Almeida said that with every developmental projects including market being opposed in the village, the youth had now come forward which was evident in Sunday’s gram sabha and also during the last ZP elections which ensured that the candidate backed by their MLA Mauvin Godinho was elected with a convincing margin.
However, the doctor could not be contacted on his phone for his comments.