MARGAO
Government’s Panchayat Chalo Abhiyan in Benaulim constituency on Friday brought face to face Salcete’s lone Minister Aleixo Sequeira and beleaguered depositors of Visionaries Credit Co-operative Society over the return of their deposits.
A group of Visionaries depositors, who attended Panchayat Chalo Abhiyan at the Maria hall, Benaulim, sought to remind Sequeira over his promise to work out a scheme to return Rs 5 lakh to each of the depositors if the Congress returns to power.
Taken aback over the query, the Congress-turned-BJP MLA sought to explain that the promise cannot be fulfilled since the Congress has not come back to power in the 2022 election. Sequeira, however, lost his cool when a depositor pointed out that he is now part of the ruling government after having jumped from the Congress to the ruling BJP, saying he is only answerable to the voters of Nuvem constituency and no one else. As the depositors continued to pose questions, Sequeira said he would not reply and that they may go, further saying that the BJP government is not ready to fulfill the promise of returning Rs 5 lakh to the depositors.
After one of the depositors approached him with a plea to take up their issue with the government, Sequeira later promised to seek an appointment with Minister for Co-operation Subhash Shirodkar to address the grievances of the depositors.
The Panchayat Chalo Abhiyan meant for the villagers of Benaulim, Colva nad Seraulim saw the presence of Benaulim Sarpanch Xavier Pereira, Colva Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes and Seraulim Sarpanch Seema Shanke.
Benaulim fishermen Pele Fernandes raised the issue of CRZ structures of the traditional fishermen with the Environment Minister, who advised the fishermen and other stakeholders to file individual applications promising to resolve the cases case by case.
Meanwhile, the Environment Minister had another interaction with the sarpanchas of Varca, Orlim, Carmona and Cavelossim at Varca later in the day.
