PORVORIM
Insisting that work at the Socorro panchayat has not been hampered, Director of Panchayats Siddhi Halarnkar has said a meeting would be convened soon to elect a new sarpanch for the panchayat.
Halarnkar was responding to complains by a group of panchas who alleged that the Directorate of Panchayats had been deliberately delaying elections to the new sarpanch at Socorro panchayat.
“Five of us panchas had gone to meet Halarnkar to enquire about the election to the new sarpanch, but she refused to meet us. We even tried calling her, but she did not respond,” claimed Anil Pednekar.
Speaking to the media, Halarnkar clarified that the Directorate of Panchayats had been busy in arrangements regarding the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual interaction with panchayat members and Swayampurna Mitras on Saturday.
Responding to another allegation that work had been hampered at the panchayat in the absence of a sarpanch, Halarnkar said work at the Socorro panchayat had not been hampered as an administrator had been appointed to look after day-to-day administration of the panchayat.
“As per the Panchayat Raj Act, the administrator can run the panchayat office for 60 days, but I will soon fix a date for the election of the new sarpanch at Socorro panchayat,” said Halarnkar.
Responding to allegations that she did not meet the group of panchas from Socorro, Halarnkar replied: “The panchayat members need not wait for an appointment with the director of panchayats but they can walk in any time during office hours and meet me.”
To another query on the gram sabhas, Halarnkar said the Panchayat Raj Act stipulates that panchayats are to hold statutory gram sabhas on important occasions such as August 15, October 2, etc.
“I will issue necessary instruction to the Block Development Offices to direct panchayats to hold gram sabhas, if they not held,” said Halarnkar.
DoP’s reasons unacceptable: MLA
PORVORIM: Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte has criticised the reasons cited by the Director of Panchayats (DoP) for the delay in convening a meeting to elect the new Socorro sarpanch.
“Her claim that the Directorate of Panchayats was busy in preparations for the PM’s meeting and was unable to meet the panchas of Socorro is foolish. She could have spared a few minutes for them and fixed a date to elect a new sarpanch for Socorro.”
“The appointment of an administrator to look after panchayat affairs is not a solution. If the Directorate of Panchayats could complete the process to conduct the vote of no-confidence and elect a new sarpanch for Sancoale panchayat within 15 days, why is it taking so long to implement a process for the Socorro panchayat,” asked Khaunte.
