the goan I network
MARGAO
In an interesting development, the South Goa Zilla Panchayat office headed by Chairperson Navnath Naik has finally agreed to hold a meeting of the District Planning Committee (DPC), but for a different reason.
The decision to call the meeting appears not out of love for the Constitutionally-mandated DPCs, but simply because the Zilla Panchayat members do not want to go down in the history of the Zilla Panchayat that the five-year term ended without the body holding even a single District Planning Committee.
The issue figured at what is believed to be the penultimate meeting of the South Goa ZP chaired by Navnath Naik when former chairperson Nelly Rodrigues made a strong case for convening a meeting of the DPC before the term of the current body expires in February.
The Colva ZP member maintained that the current ZP body headed by Chairperson Navnath will create history if the ZP chairperson, who is the ex-officio chairperson of DPC, decides to cap his term without holding a single DPC. She reminded the ZP members the importance of the DPC in the development of the district, more so the bottom to top planning contemplated in the DPC.
Other ZP members joined Nelly in demanding to know whether Chairperson Navnath has any issue in convening a meeting of the DPC before the term ends in February. Nelly later requested the ZP Chief Executive Officer, Agnelo Fernandes, who is the Member Secretary of the DPC, to immediately fix the date for the DPC, and send letters to all the members, including the MLAs from South district.
ZP member Kushali Velip demanded to know why the chairperson did not convene a single meeting of the DPC. When the CEO Agnelo tried to brief the members that he had asked the panchayats to send their plans, Nelly insisted on calling the DPC before the current term of the ZP ends in February.
Meanwhile, the Zilla Panchayat members have decided to rush with the development works before the coming into force of the election code of conduct. While complimenting the new CEO Agnelo Fernandes for extending full cooperation to the members, the ZP members urged the office staff to lend their assistance to execute the projects.
Curtorim ZP member Moreno Rebello demanded that the government devote attention to the upkeep and maintenance of the district Collectorate building, saying the building may meet the same fate like that of Kala Academy for want of maintenance.
He also demanded that the Agriculture department expedite sanction of compensation for the farmers from Curtorim constituency, who were the worst hit in the recent rains.
Members also slammed the administration for the delay in repairing and maintaining the lift in the old Collectorate building, which also houses the Zilla panchayat office.
Davorlim ZP member Ulhas Tuemkar demanded that the government reserve minimum 30 per cent of the tenements constructed by the Goa Housing Board for the local residents.
Members also came out in support of the residents of Sanguem, who have been demanded the scrapping of eco-sensitive zone, saying the zone has been notified without taking the ground reality into account.
Taking cognizance of inflation, wherein fish and vegetables have become dearer, the ZP members demanded that the government should either ration the essential commodities or subsidise the goods.
