MARGAO
The Raia gram sabha witnessed an uproar on Sunday after members objected to the appointment of a panchayat clerk by the Salcete BDO office as an observer for the Sunday gram sabha.
At the gram sabha chaired by deputy sarpanch Mario D’Souza, gram sabha member Xavier Fernandes was on his feet to lodge his strong objection to the appointment of a panchayat clerk by the Salcete BDO office as an observer for the meeting.
Xavier contended that the observer, who happens to be a clerk in the neighbouring Rachol village, is not an employee of the Director of Panchayats since his salary is being paid out of the panchayat funds. “How can the Director of Panchayats appoint a panchayat clerk, who is not being paid by the Director, as an observer for the gram sabha?” Xavier demanded to know and asked the panchayat to immediately write to the panchayat director on the appointment of the panchayat clerks as observers for Sunday gram sabhas.
The panchayat also discussed the issue of choked water nullahs and drainages near the Arlem circle, which result in water logging and flooding of the important road junction every monsoon.
The gram sabha members pointed out that the local PWD office does not attend to the issue since it falls under the national highways. They requested the panchayat to immediately write to the government to carry out desilting of the storm-water nullahs before the onset of monsoons.
The gram sabha members also drew the attention of the chair to the dumping of some industrial waste by an unit.
