the goan I network
MARGAO
The dust and heat generated during the campaign for the election for the South Goa Lok Sabha seat is settling down, but there’s still no relief for the gram sabhas with the Election Code of conduct still in force in the district.
In fact, the Election code of conduct has yet again derailed the statutory gram sabhas. Sunday saw the gram sabha of Nuvem winding up the proceedings without transacting the listed business on important matters such as imposition of garbage tax/fee for residential and commercial units in the village.
Last week, the Betalbatim gram sabha had witnessed an uproar after former Minister and a group of gram sabha members insisting on adjournment of the meeting after the Panchayat announced in the local Church that the gram sabha will not entertainment any development proposals in view of the election code of conduct.
The Nuvem gram sabha presided by Sarpanch Elvita Costa was scheduled to transact a host of business on Sunday, but the meeting could not deliberate on major proposals, but had to wind up after discussing the reports on annual accounts, administrative report and the audit report.
Gram sabha member Jose Roque Andrade informed that the proposal on the imposition of garbage tax/fee for residential and commercial units in Nuvem was not discussed due to election code.
Similarly, he said re-assessment of house tax of the existing houses in the jurisdiction of village Panchayat Nuvem, was not discussed, again due to election code.
