PONDA
Tense moments were witnessed after residents of Bethora Nirankal on Sunday deterred sarpanch Punam Samant and other four panchas from leaving the panchayat office till 1.30 pm for 'dissolving'the gram sabha without hearing their queries.
The sarpanch dissolved the gram sabha following a ruckus over the Village Development Committee.
The gram sabha presided over by sarpanch Samant was attended by all eight panchas. Four panchas, who sided with villagers, sat outside the sarpanch's cabin, while the others sat in the sarpanch's cabin. The gram sabha started at 10.30 am and was dissolved within 45 minutes.
Police force was deployed in the panchayat sensing there could be a problem over the 'Makadmare’ issue.
While Panchayat Secretary Prasad Shet was reading the minutes of the last gram sabha for confirmation, a resident, Gokuldas Kudalkar objected to it, as according to him his suggestion of establishing the Village Development Committee (VDC) was not mentioned in the minutes.
Though sarpanch Samant said the VDC was established, the locals said it was never discussed in the gram sabha and questioned how it can be established without the knowledge of villagers.
While a discussion on this issue was underway, one supporter of sarpanch Samant stood up and started arguing with Hemant Samant. He told Samant to leave the gram sabha. This irked the residents and verbal fights between two groups forced sarpanch Samant to dissolve the gram sabha by confirming the minutes of the last meeting.
After the sarpanch made the announcement that the gram sabha was dissolved and proceeded to her cabin, the irate villagers warned that they will not allow her to leave the place.
Sensing trouble, Joint Mamlatdar Abhir Hede and PI Sudesh Naik were summoned to the spot. Though they tried to pacify the villagers, they were in no mood to relent. Later at 1.30 pm, the sarpanch was given police protection to come out of the cabin and leave the place.
According to Pramod Prabhu Velgekar, whose name figures on the VDC, the old Ward Development Committee was converted into VDC. “They never called a meeting to appoint the VDC members, but despite this my name has been mentioned in the committee list,” he said.
Sarpanch Samant said the issue was being politicised as the VDC was constituted in the presence of members.
