the goan I network
MAPUSA
Pomburpa-Olaulim locals expressed their angst against nuisance created by migrants at the Sunday gram sabha and urged the panchayat to take steps to control the surge of migrant population in the village.
Voicing concern on the rise of migrant population, locals questioned the sarpanch whether the panchayat had any data about the number of migrants living in the village and what steps the local body was taking to control the population.
“It’s time the panchayat took steps to reduce the population of the migrants in the village before the situation goes out of hand,” said Bernard Pereira, a resident of Pomburpa.
A gram sabha member informed that some locals were letting out rooms for rent to migrants without even providing proper toilet facilities to them.
Savio Fernandes suggested conducting a survey to find details about migrants residing in the village.
Sarpanch, Prabhakar Halarnkar informed the gram sabha that the panchayat is not responsible to keep records of the migrant population but villagers can approach the police for the same. “We cannot stop anyone coming in our village. But those who give rooms on rent to migrants are expected to report the details of the tenants to the police,” he said.
The gram sabha passed a resolution to increase house tax by 10 percent subject to a hike of minimum Rs 10 and reassess house tax for commercial establishments.
The panchayat was also asked to form a committee to carryout reassessment of commercial units in the village.
“In order to increase revenue, the panchayat has to adopt a positive approach to collect house tax arrears,” said Alvito D’Silva.
Bernard Pereira suggested making a list of house tax defaulters and pasting their names at public places to shame them.
“If you don’t take such initiatives people will never pay their house tax,” Pereira said.
D’Silva also requested the panchayat to make a list of people who have failed to pay house tax for the last five years. The gram sabha refused to approve the 2019-20 budget of Pomburpa-Olaulim until the budget statement presented by the panchayat was rectified.
Pointing the defects in the financial statement, locals said there were several errors in the numbers as well as need to incorporate additional heads. “The whole budget has to be reworked. Most figures are inappropriate,” said Pereira.
Later the gram sabha decided to hold a special gram sabha on February 24 to get the budget approved.
The gram sabha, however, unanimously decided to do away with light tax.
A local, Savio Fernandes said ome gangs were creating nuisance near the Olaulim chapel by drinking alcohol and smoking late in the nights.
“Gangs of some toughies from outside the village come near the chapel at late hours and consume alcohol and smoke. Besides disrespect to religious place they create nuisance in the area,” Fernandes said.
He suggested fixing a no drinking and no smoking billboard in the area which was approved by the gram sabha.
Locals demand white paper
on IT Park in Socorro
MAPUSA: The Pomburpa-Olaulim gram sabha unanimously decided to write to the government to prepare a white paper on plans to set up IT Park in Socorro so that people in the surrounding villages can discuss the fallout of project in the area.
A local, Romald Pinto of Olaulim informed that there were reports about government plans to set up IT Park in Socorro, Porvorim.
Cautioning the gram sabha on the impact of the project in the vicinity, he said, the IT Park will bring in migrants, buildings, pollution, traffic, heavy water consumption, noise etc.
“Socorro plateau has a great biodiversity of birds and plants. It will also result in depletion of water table and most importantly contamination of Pomburpa Spring,” Pinto said.
He said the government or the concerned minister should issue a white paper on the said IT Park in Socorro.
“Once this paper is before the villagers, a collective action plan can be put into place and the pros and cons of this IT Park can be studied,” he said.
The gram sabha then decided to request the government to prepare a white paper on the project so that villagers can discuss the issue in detail.
