MARGAO
The gram sabha of Sao Jose de Areal was adjourned on Sunday minutes after the meeting was called to order by the Chair after the members as well as the panch members pointed out that the agenda of the previous gram sabha was not concluded.
Chairing the meeting in the absence of the Sarpanch Linda Fernandes, Deputy Sarpanch Valente Fernandes adjourned the gram sabha and left the meeting hall after panchayat members sitting on the dais agreed with the gram sabha members that the previous gram sabha was adjourned and not concluded.
No sooner the meeting was called to order, gram sabha insisted that the previous meeting remained inconclusive since many a proposal was not taken up for discussions at the meeting. Gram sabha member Freddy Travasso, who was literally on his knees, was heard asking the panchayat members to give their say whether the previous meeting was adjourned or concluded. After the panchayat members stood up to say the previous gram sabha was adjourned and not concluded, the deputy Sarpanch Valente adjourned the meeting.
Panchayat members Alcantro Mascaarenhas, Piety Cardozo and Marcelin later told the media after the meeting that they all agreed with the gram sabha members that the previous meeting was not concluded but adjourned. “We agreed with the gram sabha members that the previous meeting was not concluded. People have elected and we have to work for the interest of the people,” Alcantro said.
Panch member Piety Cardozo told the media that he had raised the issue of the inconclusive gram sabha at the panchayat ordinary meeting, but the deputy Sarpanch insisted that the previous gram sabha was concluded.
Gram sabha member Freddy Travasso said the stand taken by the panchayat members that the previous gram sabha was not concluded has exposed deputy Sarpanch Valente Fernandes. He said the gram sabha members have only been demanding that the Chair first take up the pending proposals of the previous gram sabha, but the plea of the members were ignored.
Deputy Sarpanch Valente later told the media after the adjourning the meeting that the gram sabha members could have placed the proposals of the previous gram sabha at this gram sbaha, but they did not do. He pointed that the gram sabha meetings hardly received any development proposals, saying most of the applications coming from the members are either complaints or applications for revocation of licenses and other issues.
