QUEPEM: The
gram sabha
held at
Xeldem
on Sunday witnessed heated arguments between locals, the sarpanch, panch members and the panchayat secretary over permission issued to a building and the development of an open space.
Sarpanch Caetan da Lima announced that the meeting was postponed as they were not allowed to conduct a gram sabha in the absence of a BDO observer. However, those present at the venue insisted that he conduct the meeting.
Former panchayat member
Caetan Carvalho
demanded that the permission issued to a builder for a commercial building at Novimodi in Tilamoll be revoked it was blocking access to over 70 houses.
In 2020, acting on a complaint, the panchayat had issued a stop work order to the builder.
Carvalho
alleged that the builder then produced a revised plan and his proposal was approved without holding a meeting of the panchayat body.
Refuting the charges, the sarpanch said, “We will send notices and conduct a site inspection in the presence of a technical person.”
Meanwhile, residents of a housing board colony opposed the development of an open space claiming that the space belonged them.
Other villagers, however, said that everybody had a right to it as it was under the jurisdiction of the panchayat.
Interestingly, the housing board had handed over the space to the Xeldem panchayat which has started developing sporting facilities including a volleyball court, a football ground and a garden.
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