MARGAO
Exactly a decade and a half ago, members of the South Goa Zilla Panchayat had locked horns over the nomination of a panel to identify land for the construction of a spacious Zilla Panchayat Bhavan. The ZP body at the time was headed by Maria Rebello, who was forced to step in and pacify members, eventually persuading them to arrive at a unanimous decision on the panel’s leadership.
Fifteen years later, the proposed Zilla Panchayat Bhavan remains a distant dream. Not only has construction failed to begin, but the Zilla Panchayat is still not in possession of any land for the project.
While the Zilla Panchayat had identified a parcel of land at Arlem in Raia village in 2010 for the proposed Bhavan, the South Goa ZP is now eyeing government land at Davorlim that was acquired over a decade ago for a proposed Education Hub. Another proposal floated by the present ZP body suggests setting up the Zilla Panchayat Bhavan at Quepem on government-acquired land.
Since its establishment in 2000, the South Goa Zilla Panchayat has operated for nearly 25 years without a permanent home. Initially, it functioned from the Old RTO office building. With no progress on the proposed Bhavan at Arlem or Raia and mounting rental costs, the ZP office was later shifted to the Old Collectorate building near the Margao Municipal garden.
However, the Zilla Panchayat’s functioning continues to be hampered by severe space constraints. This is particularly evident during meetings, where members are often forced to sit in cramped conditions due to the lack of adequate facilities. In fact, the South Goa Zilla Panchayat had even conducted its meetings at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative complex over space constraints.
Questions are now being raised over why the government of the day failed to make provision for the South Goa Zilla Panchayat in the Matany Saldanha building, especially when other Panchayat-related offices—such as the Salcete Block Development Office and the Office of the Additional Director of Panchayats—are housed in the Collectorate complex.
The state government has also come under criticism for not granting Zilla Panchayats the powers and functions envisaged under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, and for failing to play a proactive role in acquiring land for the proposed Zilla Panchayat Bhavan.
“We often heard ministers promising support for the construction of the ZP Bhavan. But the issue was never about funds—it was always about land. Successive governments did not assist the district panchayat body in identifying and acquiring land for the Zilla Panchayat Bhavan,” remarked a former South Goa ZP member.
