VASCO/CORTALIM
Such was their enthusiasm to exercise their franchise that the State’s newest panchayat recorded the highest voter turnout among all panchayats in Mormugao taluka, way higher than many of the larger and more established panchayats in the taluka.
Earlier a part of the Cortalim-Quelossim panchayat, the State government had bifurcated the Cortalim-Quelossim panchayat into two distinct panchayats before the assembly elections.
In Mormugao taluka, the voter turnout was the highest in Quelossim (79.70%), while Cansaulim-Arrosim-Cuelim was the lowest with 67.43%. Voter turnout in other panchayats were Cortalim (71.04%), Sancoale (73.41%), Chicalim (68.39%), Chicolna-Bogmallo (77.49%) and Velsao-Pale (70.50%).
Residents of Quelossim, who cast their votes for the first time as an independent panchayat, were jubilant as they would be in a position to independently decide the fate of their village.
Expressing happiness over being able to vote for a separate Quelossim panchayat, Caitano Da Silva alias Roma who is contesting from Ward 5 said that his village’s independent status would go a long way in bring development to the village. “We have to work for our village which is lacking in infrastructure and many other facilities,” Da Silva said.
Another villager, Jose D’Souza, said that their long struggle for an independent panchayat would mean nothing if the identity of the village is not protected.
Incidentally, although Quelossim houses many industries, it has remained largely unaffected by garbage menace and migrant issues.
