MAPUSA
The Sarpanch and Secretary of Aldona Panchayat have been issued a ‘warning memo’ by the Director of Panchayats for procedural lapses with respect to maintenance of Muster Roll.
In its warning memo, the DoP stated that it was in receipt of a letter dated April 11 from the Directorate of Vigilance in connection with a complaint dated February 6 filed by Devidas Gopinath Panjikar of Khorjuem-Aldona with regards to misappropriation of Panchayat funds and mismatch of the records of the of daily wages workers engaged for bush cutting.
The DoP stated that the Directorate of Vigilance conducted a site inspection on March 28 and noticed negligence/irregularities on the part of the Secretary and Sarpanch of Village Panchayat Aldona.
“Various irregularities have been pointed out by the Vigilance Department as to no tendering done, procedural lapses with respect to maintaining muster rolls, etc.”
The DoP then issued show-cause notices on April 26 to Aldona Sarpanch Ashwin De Souza and the Aldona Panchayat Secretary Navanya Goltekar, directing them to give explanation in the matter.
The sarpanch and panchayat secretary later submitted their replies a few days later.
After going through the reply of the sarpanch and panchayat secretary, the DoP noticed that there were procedural lapses with respect to maintenance of Muster Roll. “Since this act of the Secretary and Sarpanch cannot be termed as misappropriation of funds and considering the urgency during the bush clearing, a sympathetic approach has been taken.”
“The Panchayat Secretary and Sarpanch are hereby warned not to repeat such procedural lapses in future and to show improvement in their official performance, failing which no further excuse will be given and action as deemed fit will be taken against them for such lapses, if any,” DoP memo added.
