MARGAO
In an interesting development, Carmona Sarpanch Sandra Fernandes has said the village panchayat has no right to give permission to anyone to play at the Education Department’s premises in the village, presently housing the sub-health centre for the simple reason that the premises does not belong to the panchayat.
The issue had kicked up a row of sorts after the health sub-centre locked the gate of the premises, drawing protests from ex-sarpanch Allwyn Jorge and residents, demanding that the premises be kept open for the villagers.
After visiting the premises along with panch members and a couple of citizens, the sarpanch told the media that the Chinchinim Health Officer Dr Nixon Fernandes had written a letter to the panchayat, seeking to know whether the panchayat has given any permission since pipes at the premises are getting damaged. “We had placed the matter before the body meeting and we decided that we cannot be held responsible since the premises does not belong to the panchayat,” she said.
Meanwhile, following protests from some quarters, Dr Nixon has written a letter to the Education Department stating that the Health office has started locking the gate and a duplicate key was handed over to the anganwadi centre.
Referring to the claim that the Health department has no right to lock the gates when the department have been allotted only a couple of rooms of the building, Dr Nixon put forth a counter argument, pointing out that the Health Department had been permitted to use the premises subject to fulfillment of certain conditions regarding maintenance.
“Any other Department or Authority that desires to broaden the usage of the premises for any other activities would also have to ensure that proper decorum is maintained during those activities and accountability would have to be fixed on who should pay for the damages. They cannot expect the Health Department to maintain the community latrines, repair damage to the infrastructure or clear garbage from the compound,” the Health officer said, adding that the Health centre will therefore continue to lock the gates until further clarity is made available.
