MAPUSA
The Gram Sabha resolved to drive away migrants who gather in large numbers at various public places in Calangute and formed a committee of locals with acting Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira as the chairman of the committee.
The Gram Sabha also decided to pack off the beggars who gather at different spots in the village. The decision to take action on migrants came after a group of concerned Calangute citizens put up a proposal before the panchayat to take action on the labour class, who have been bringing a bad name to the village.
Acting Sarpanch Joseph Sequiera said the proposal was a wake-up call and that the panchayat backed the citizens’ call to free the village from the migrants.
“The migrants have brought a bad name to the village. They spit around wherever they go and dirty our public places. Calangute Panchayat has become bhongis. We only remove the faeces and garbage of the migrants,” said Sequeira.
A belligerent Sequeira called on the villagers to gather before the panchayat at 7.30 am and as one force will drive away the migrants, who gather at the Calangute Tinto. A Gram Sabha member cautioned against such action, as it could lead to law and order problem and police could take action against them.
Sequeira said the panachayat will first write to the police and ask them to take action against nuisance carried out by the migrants and the beggars in Calangute and if only police fail to act then the panchayat and the citizens will take action against the nuisance.
One Gurudas, a Gram Sabha member, informed the Gram Sabha that as per law police can take action against the beggars.
“We only need to write to the police about the beggar menace. The panchayat can depute a staff and a vehicle and the police can provide us one male and a female constable to carry out the eviction of the beggars,” Gurudas said.
The Gram Sabha later formed a 10-member citizens committee to oversee the eviction of the migrants and beggars. The first meeting of the committee will take place at Senior Citizens Ghar in Calangute on April 9 at 4 pm.
