the goan I network
MARGAO
Curtorim Panchayat’s move to revise the house tax came in for opposition of the gram sabha with members demanding that the Panchayat body first bring under the tax net the commercial establishments and financial institutions operating in the Panchayat jurisdiction.
The Panchayat has also agreed to float a tender for the collection and disposal of dry and wet waste in the village after members raised a host of queries over the proposal.
The meeting chaired by Sarpanch Rui Menezes saw members comprising of Charles Barretto and J Santan Rodrigues questioning the Panchayat over its move to revise the house tax on the plea that the house tax has not been revised for the last many years.
Charles Barretto brought to the notice of the Panchayat there are banks and financial institutions operating in Curtorim, but has not been paying the mandatory one month’s rent to the Panchayat. He demanded to know whether the Panchayat has made any efforts to get these financial institutions under the tax net, further saying that house revision can be initiated only after collecting rent from them.
Member J Santan Rodrigues demanded to know whether the Panchayat has carried out any assessment of the houses in the village before deciding to revise the house tax. He said there are many old houses in the village, which cannot be equated with the new houses, while demanding proper assessment of the houses.
As the panchayat had floated a tender to rope in a contractor to collect and dispose of the waste, members demanded to know how and where will the contractor dispose of the wet and dry waste collected from the households and establishments.
Santan further demanded to know whether the Panchayat authorities comply with the mandatory provisions such as periodic inspection of the Panchayats by BDOs and Panchayat officials, execution of surety bond by the Panchayat secretary etc, with the members claiming that these provisions have been thrown to the winds.
