OLD GOA
The Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) has criticized the Curca Panchayat for the recent gram sabha fiasco, where villagers were given only two hours to submit their proposals.
The RGP has demanded that a separate extraordinary gram sabha be held to discuss the water shortage issue in the village.
The Curca villagers had raised concerns about the gram sabha notice issued on May 12, where the public was given until noon on May 15 to submit their proposals.
With May 13 and 14 being a weekend, the panchayat remained closed, giving villagers only two hours on May 15 to submit their proposals.
RGP supremo Manoj Parab stated that the Curca Panchayat appears to be going through the motions of holding the gram sabha without any seriousness. RGP leader Ajay Kholkar pointed out that the adjourned gram sabha from November last year is yet to be convened, and public proposals submitted for that meeting are yet to be discussed.
Kholkar also criticized the panchayat for failing to hold mandatory gram sabhas in January and April.
The gram sabha convened on May 21 is called upon the directions of the Tiswadi BDO, but the panchayat has included the issue of discussion on water shortage, which cannot be on the agenda of the ordinary gram sabha.
Parab stated that a separate meet on water shortage issue is needed for detailed discussion, and a plan has been prepared to resolve the issue in Curca. Until then, there has to be a complete moratorium on issuing licenses to mega projects in the village.
Local Manoj Mashelkar demanded that the budget discussion be included in the gram sabha agenda. Curca Panch Mahanand Kundaikar and local Sudesh Khandolkar were also present.
Curca VP extends date for submission of proposals
OLD GOA: Even as The Goan tried unsuccessfully to contact Curca sarpanch Leena Naik to clarify on the gram sabha issue, a source inside the panchayat informed that a corrigendum was issued citing extension of the date to submit proposals to May 17.
Incidentally, the corrigendum was issued on the same day that the gram sabha notice was issued i.e. May 12.
“The gram sabha notice as well as the corrigendum was pasted on the notice board outside the panchayat office,” the source added.
However, the locals have raised eyebrows over the notice and the corrigendum being issued on the same day.
“In that case, the panchayat should have issued a fresh gram sabha notice,” a local said.
