the goan I network
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Former deputy sarpanch and panch of the ruling group, Deepak Naik, however, said some of his colleagues and the secretary were present in the panchayat only to complete pending correspondence work in the panchayat.
Sources disclosed that ruling panchayat members including Sarpanch Trisha Naik and panchayat secretary, Subodh Prabhu were in the panchayat office till around 9 pm on Thursday.
“Six panch members along with the secretary were present in the panchayat office which was latched from inside till late in the night,” opposition Panch Thomas Tavares informed. “Besides, a representative of the mobile phone company and another gentleman in whose property the tower is being erected were also present in the office,” he added.
Tavares made a complaint to the BDO on Friday stating illegal permissions were granted to three mobile phone towers when the code of conduct was on.
He further said some activity was going on in the panchayat office after working hours till late in the night.
In his complaint, he has asked the BDO, Director of Panchayat and the Election Commission of India to take strict action against the panchayat.
There was more drama later in the night, as the mobile phone company began to erect the tower at one of the spots at “Toiyar” in Aldona at midnight.
Tavares and some locals then informed the police of the activity.
“The private telecom company went ahead and erected the tower in spite of the presence of police claiming they had all permissions,” Tavares said.
Former deputy sarpanch and panch member of the ruling group, Deepak Naik said the decision to grant permission for the towers was taken in the fortnightly meeting on February 18.
“We had decided to grant permission to the towers on February 18. It may have been issued on February 23 due to non-availability of the secretary,” Naik said and added that there was nothing illegal about it.
Bating for the secretary, Naik informed that the secretary held dual charge, as secretary of Reis Magos and Aldona panchayats.
“He came at around 5.30 pm to Aldona on Thursday and was present with us till around 8 pm as there was a lot of correspondence work to be cleared,” Naik said.
Contradicting Naik, opposition panch member, Thomas Tavares said at the fortnightly meeting a decision was taken to place the issue of granting NOCs to mobile phone towers before the gram sabha.
BDO, Krishnakant Pangam said he has directed his office to issue a memorandum to the Aldona Panchayat seeking a report on urgency to conduct business late in the night.
