Anjuna panchayat under fire for ‘favouring’ builders lobby HERALD CORRESPONDENT CALANGUTE, JAN 30 The ordinary Gram Sabha of Anjuna-Caisua Panchayat on Sunday witnessed heated discussion over the issue of construction of new roads in the village. The Ordinary Gram Sabha, which had to be adjourned as per the wishes of Gram Sabha members on November 7, 2010, concluded after heated discussions on Sunday. The Gram Sabha was vociferous and was involved in heated discussions over roads in the different wards of Anjuna-Caisua Panchayat. However, the members were involved in heated discussions over the wasteful expenditure on construction of roads through Panchayat funds of over Rs 3 lakh in the ward represented by former sarpanch Sandip Chimulkar. The members demanded cancellation of the roads, as they alleged it was meant for and interest of the builders lobby. Anjuna-Caisua Sarpanch Lavino Rebello however claimed that the payments to the contractor for the construction of the road have already been made and there is no point in stopping the construction of the road. The sarpanch further said it was a unanimous decision of the panchayat to construct the road when Chimulkar was the sarpanch. The members also brought to task another Panchayat member Surendra Govekar for construction of a new road which was beneficial to few villagers. Govekar however disagreed with the members and a heated discussion took place.After a prolonged and heated discussion with charges and counter-charges between the members and the panchayat members, Sarpanch Rebello called for disciplined behaviour among the members and the Gram Sabha continued. Another issue that was hotly debated was the permission being granted by the Panchayat for construction of mega project without taking the villagers into confidence. The members felt it was the responsibility of the Panchayat members to verify the facts before giving the permissions, etc. They also felt that the Panchayat members do not bring the facts to the notice of the Town and Country Planning Department or other departments that are involved in giving the permissions. The members asked the panchayat members to be responsible citizens of the village and do not bring unplanned developments that would have a disastrous effect on the village. One of the members brought to the notice of the Gram Sabha members and the panchayat members a gross irregularity in terms of a water supply connection to a house that does not exist at all. Pradeep Harmalkar, showing a receipt of PWD dated November 12, 2010, said: “The PWD has provided a water connection to a house at Sorantto-Anjuna, where neither the house nor a hut exists.” http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Local%20News/Anjuna-panchayat-under-fire-for-lsquo-favouring-rsquo-builders-lobby/45263.html Moi-mogan, Domnic FernandesAnjuna, GoaMob: 9420979201
