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A resolution to that effect was moved by Sarpanch, Trisha Naik at the Sunday’s gram sabha, which was unanimously passed by the members.
“We started door-to-door garbage collection in the village almost three months back. It has evoked good response from the public. We need to carry on with the good work. From April 2017, the panchayat will charge every household Rs 150 per annum as garbage collection tax,” said Sarpanch Naik.
Applauding the panchayat on its door-to-door waste collection initiative, Seby Fernandes, a gram sabha member, said the panchayat needed to do more and take steps to fine tune the waste collection drive.
“Make an effort to collect the waste in a more professional way. At certain spots, garbage is not lifted for days together while sometimes the garbage collectors give some areas a miss,” Fernandes said.
Nicholas Dias, another gram sabha, moved a resolution congratulating the panchayat for successfully handling the door-to-door garbage collection in the village.
For the last three months, the panchayat has managed to collect almost 51 tonnes of garbage, which is routed to the garbage treatment plant in Saligao.
Queries were raised over failure of the panchayat in collecting house tax as per the 2015-16 annual audit report placed before the gram sabha.
The sarpanch said some houses always remained shut and it was difficult to get 100 percent result in house tax collection.
A gram sabha member, Pio suggested that salaries of those panchas who do not attend gram sabhas should be cut.
A representative of the State Bio-Diversity Board attended the gram sabha and explained the members the importance of setting up of bio-diversity committee in the panchayat.
Scientist cum administrative officer of the Board, Reshma Kerkar informed that a bio-diversity committee has powers to take precautionary steps to protect environment in its own area.
She said the committee also has powers to identify valuable plants in its area and that it’s the responsibility of the committee to collate the data and preserve it.
“Government sanctions some funds for the running of the bio-diversity committee. If not utilized, the money is routed back to the government,” Kerkar said and urged the gram sabha to take steps to form the committee and make use of the fund.
The annual budget for the financial year 2017-18 was placed before the gram sabha, which was passed after a brief discussion.
Proceedings video recorded
MAPUSA: The entire proceedings of the Aldona gram sabha was video recorded on Sunday.
Although the government in one of its decision had made it mandatory to video record the gram sabha proceedings, many panchayats had failed to do so.
Many sarpanchas said they were either not aware and or they were not adequately informed by the BDO. “I was asked by the directorate of panchayat to video record the gram sabha,” Suraj, the videographer told The Goan.
CM Parrikar
congratulated
MAPUSA: The Aldona gram sabha in a unanimous decision congratulated Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for forming the government in the State.
Tio D’Souza, a gram sabha member, moved a resolution congratulating Parrikar, as an individual, for bringing all small parties and Independents together to form the government.
The decision was unanimously passed by the gram sabha.
