OLD GOA
A number of locals from Old Goa have opposed the posting of a new panchayat secretary in the panchayat and have petitioned the Director of Panchayats to send either the earlier VP secretary or somebody with a “clean record”.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji on Friday, a local, Glen Cabral, alleged that the new panchayat secretary who has been posted has a tainted record as he had been suspended in Calangute over the delimitation process.
"Further, he has also been reprimanded for non-formation of committees in Aldona while in Reis Magos, an FIR has been registered against him over the illegal license to a construction," Cabral stated.
"We oppose the posting of such a “tainted” panchayat secretary in Old Goa and that too at a time when the Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier is going to be organised," Cabral said and demanded that the DoP should cancel the posting and instead post the earlier secretary or someone with a clean record.
"In the past two years, this is the fourth panchayat secretary to be posted in Old Goa," Cabral said.
Cabral then alleged political interference in the sudden transfer of the earlier secretary who did not listen to the diktats of a local politician.
"The politician wanted the secretary to clear file of road construction near the heritage monument of St Francis Xavier's chapel, which the earlier secretary refused," Cabral claimed while outlining the reason for the transfer.
Activists Xencor Polgi and Adv Pratima Coutinho also spoke in support of the demand of the Old Goa locals.
