MARGAO
Women power has reigned supreme at four panchayats in Salcete taluka with an all-women team assuming office on Monday.
It will be an all-women affair in the four panchayats of Loutolim, Ambelim, Dramapur-Sirlim and Sarzora where women will hold the office of sarpanch and deputy sarpanch.
Take note that of these four panchayats, the Ambelim, Dramapur-Sirlim and Sarzora all fall in the female-dominated Velim constituency.
Inquiries have further revealed that of these panchayats, the post of sarpanch was reserved for women only in the case of Sarzora, but the women have made it to the top post in the remaining three panchayats which were open for both genders.
And, in a sheer coincidence, the names of both sarpanch and deputy sarpanch of Dramapur-Sirlim is Avita. While Avita Pereira has been elected to the post of sarpanch, Avita Caitana Vaz is the deputy sarpanch.
In Ambelim, Celina Torcato has been elected to the post of sarpanch and Valency Carvalho the deputy.
Similar is the case in Loutolim, where Joana Fernandes and Celina Braganza have taken over the reins of office as sarpanch and deputy sarpanch, respectively.
Leona Fernandes is the new sarpanch of Sarzora while Riya Oliveira will be her deputy.
