MARGAO
In an interesting development, Navelim Panchayat Secretary Sandeep Halyali has asserted that he was not pressurised by Salcete Block Development Officer Adarsh Desai to commit any act of omission or commission in connection with the construction licence issued to the controversial housing project at Dongorim-Navelim.
In an affidavit, the Panchayat secretary stated that he had acted within the bounds of the law while discharging his official duties and had never been pressurised by the BDO to commit any act of omission or commission.
Halyali submitted the clarification to the Salcete BDO after social activist Pratima Coutinho, who is campaigning alongside Dongorim residents against the housing project, claimed that Navelim Sarpanch Paul Pereira had said the secretary told him that the BDO had pressurised him to grant the construction licence. Coutinho further claimed that the sarpanch had said the secretary told him he would have no option but to end his life if the licence was not granted.
The BDO had termed the purported statements false and fabricated and directed the Panchayat secretary, through a memorandum, to submit an affidavit clarifying the allegations attributed to him.
The BDO had given the Panchayat secretary 24 hours to respond to the memorandum.
