OLD GOA
Panchas and former sarpanchas along with others slammed the current Santa Cruz panchayat over the way it is functioning by selectively targeting those who oppose them.
Speaking to reporters in Panaji on Friday, former sarpanch Mariano Araujo informed that the ruling panchayat is targeting only those who are raising their voices against them.
“This never happened during the earlier panchayats but ever since the current ruling panel has taken over, there is selective targeting of those who speak against them,” Araujo stated and alleged that it is nothing but ‘dadagiri’ of the panchayat authorities.
Panch Lafira de Oliveira informed that she has been a target of the ruling panel for having raised her voice against an illegal establishment, which was given NOC by a majority at the fortnightly meeting, a notice of which was never served to her.
“After that, I have been targeted through the media by the panchayat authorities,” Oliveira stated.
A local Ezlinda Gonsalves stated that she, too, is facing harassment as she has approached the higher authorities against an illegal construction after the panchayat failed to initiate action.
“I was not given any support by the panchayat authorities in acting against the illegal construction due to which I was forced to approach the BDO,” Gonsalves said, while adding that now her name is being spoilt that she had asked money to settle the issue.
“I never asked for any money and my name is unnecessarily being spoilt,” Gonsalves stated.
Another former sarpanch Prasad Naik said that if the panchayat is really acting impartially, then action should be taken against all complaints and not only selective ones.
“There are complaints against relatives of some ruling members where action is not taken for months. But, on complaints against their opponents, the action is swift,” Naik alleged.
A Bambolim local, Benny D’Souza, also spoke while panch Peter Araujo was also present.
