MARGAO
The Director of Panchayat is yet to call a meeting of the Colva panchayat body to fill up the vacant post of sarpanch even after a month has passed. Colva Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes had quit over a month ago.
Questions are being raised in panchayat circles why the Panchayat Director is delaying in filing up the vacant post. Take note, the deputy sarpanch, who is acting sarpanch, also belongs to the ruling group, but members have been left to wonder over the inordinate delay in holding elections to the post.
Outgoing Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes told The Goan that the ruling group is completely in the dark over the delay by the office of the Panchayat Director to hold the election.
“If the government thinks that they can split the ruling group to come back to power, they are sadly mistaken. The five-member ruling members are all one and will unitedly elect a new sarpanch,” the outgoing sarpanch asserted.
The outgoing sarpanch claimed that the Panchayat Director has filled up the vacant post of sarpanch in panchayats such as Raia even though the post fell vacant much later.
“I had stepped down from office on March 8 and my resignation came into effect 10 days later on March 18. One month has already elapsed since the time my resignation was accepted,” Anthony said.
When contacted, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao has said. “I have not got involved in the panchayat politics at Colva.”
Raia gets new
village head
MARGAO: Minguelina D’Souza is the new Sarpanch of the village panchayat of Raia.
In the elections, Minguelina was declared elected unopposed after the Presiding Officer received her lone nomination.
She succeeds Esmeralda Gomes who tendered her resignation.
After her election, Minguelina said that she would accord priority to usher in the development of the village and sought cooperation of the villagers.
Social worker, Anthony Barbosa, has congratulated the newly-elected sarpanch and offered all cooperation.
