MARGAO
The Betalbatim gram sabha on Sunday resolved to hike the house tax, even as the meeting hotly discussed the issue of migrants staying in the village.
At the gram sabha meeting chaired by Sarpanch Constancio Miranda, the issue of the hike in house tax was deliberated at length with the Sarpanch stating that the Panchayat has not effected the hike in house tax for well over 15 years now. The Sarpanch pointed out that old houses, which have been paying house tax of Rs 25 will now be charged Rs 100 annually, adding that new and other houses will be charged the tax as per the government-approved rates.
The issue of beach cleaning also figured at the meeting with members pointing out that waste is found dumped on the beach and the water bodies during the weekend. The Sarpanch, however, begged to differ, saying the Panchayat has engaged labourers to rid the beach of the waste. He said the entire beach belt is being cleaned up every 20 days, while reminding the members that the tourism department has already carried out an inspection of the beach belt to provide amenities, including installation of a high mast, benches, toilets, dust bins etc.
He said the Panchayat has decided to approach the land owners to give their NOC to the tourism department to build infrastructure facilities on the beach.
The issue over the Panchayat body issuing a death certificate to a migrant, who had died in the village, also figured at the meeting. When members including Dunstan D’Costa and others demanded to know the criteria adopted by the panchayat to issue death certificates for migrants dying in the village, the secretary replied that the death is registered based on the doctor’s death certificate and application from the informant.
Dunstan later told the media that the population of migrants have reached an alarming figure in the village, with migrants almost outnumbering the local population in some wards. He said many of these migrants are not registered with the police, adding that the landlords should ensure that the people they lease out their rooms should have good conduct.
