Bribes to legalise houses issue takes centre stage at Usgao meet
Sarpanch asks written statement from those who paid
the goan network
PONDA
The Usgao Ganje gram sabha on Sunday witnessed noisy scenes after locals accused one of the panchas from the previously elected body of taking money from them to regularize their houses and demanded to lodge a complaint against the pancha.
The house owners of about 577 houses, constructed in the jurisdiction of Usgao Ganje Panchayat, are waiting to get their houses regularised, but as the houses are on comunidade land and some on private land, they are reportedly constructed without any approvals.
The gram sabha, presided over by the Sarpanch Tulshidas Prabhu, witnessed noisy scenes over the issue of houses after locals alleged that a panch member of the previous elected body allegedly took more than Rs 20,000 from them to make their houses legal.
Sarpanch Prabhu pacified the residents by appealing to the irate locals to give in writing about the bribe taken by the then pancha and only then he would be in a position to initiate action. “People should tell who has taken money from them to regularise their houses. If they name the person, the next step to lodge a formal complaint can be taken,” Prabhu told The Goan.
The villagers also raised the issue of employment being not given to the locals by the industries in the area and demanded that inquiry be carried out as to how many companies have adhered to the rules of government to give 80 per cent jobs to the locals. The resolution was taken by the gram sabha.
According to the sarpanch, they had asked the management of various companies to engage locals to work in their companies.
The issue of developmental work was also discussed in the gram sabha, where Sarpanch Prabhu said they couldn't carry out any work due to lack of funds.
