Bedlam at Cansaulim gram sabha over use of funds
CORTALIM
The Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim Gram Sabha witnessed uproarious scenes over improper utilisation of funds, with the members alleging a blatant violation of the Panchayati Raj Act.
The issue came up when a resident, Godfrey Correa, informed the members that the body had utilised the panchayat funds without following due procedure of law for cutting bushes and cleaning drains, when in fact, the work had to be tendered.
Pointing out to a panch, Correa claimed that the panchas had outsourced the work to him, who had in turn taken up the wok by employing the labourers through funds from the muster roll to avoid to getting disqualified.
“Panchayat can use funds upto Rs 5000 from the muster roll in an unexpected development, otherwise the work had to be tendered,” Correa informed.
Coming to his colleague's rescue, Baylon Gomes said it was unfair to target a panch since there were instances that the panchayat had taken the works of a single project of Rs 2.50 lakh from the muster roll.
At this stage, Correa and Alvaro Costa challenged Gomes to name the project or else he should withdraw the statement. However, Gomes refused to name the project and instead asked the members to inquire into it.
The members also took the panchayat to task for its shoddy approach for collection of rent on the rent-back facility.
Debby Fernandes after reading the relevant portion of the Panchayati Raj Act said the panchayat had not followed the procedure on the rent assessment correctly. He was supported by Eustacio Remedious Alcacoes, where they wanted to know whether there were only 50 rent premises in Cansaulim-Arossim-Cuelim and that too in only seven wards.
The villagers thereafter requested the panchayat to follow the law as per the act without any discrimination.
The Gram Sabha also appreciated Minister and local MLA Alina Saldanha for releasing the funds to the panchayat under the science and technology department.
Saldanha,who present at the meeting, urged the panchayat to start tendering the works as Sancoale and Cortalim Panchayats have already started.
Earlier,the Gram Sabha asked the panchayat to immediately convene to the challenge of the Additional Director of Panchayat's order directing the panchayat to issue construction license to a hotel project at Arossim. Deputy Sarpanch Jose Maria Furtado presided over the Gram Sabha.
