Panchayat Member Accuses Sancoale Officials of Syphoning Public Funds

Team Goemkapronn
PANAJI: In a shocking revelation, Tulshidas Naik, a panch member from Ward No. 3 of the Sancoale Village Panchayat and the former South Goa District President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has filed a comprehensive complaint with the Directorate of Panchayat against the Deputy Sarpanch, Derrick Vales, and the Acting Secretary, Orville C. Vales.
The complaint, dated February 17, 2025, alleges widespread illegal activities, misuse of powers, and the syphoning of public funds within the panchayat.
The complaint outlines several egregious incidents, including the non-functional 3 TPD Bio-gas Plant, which was installed at a cost of Rs. 1.68 crores and has been inoperational since its inauguration on January 4, 2022. Despite this, the panchayat has continued to pay Rs. 2,06,500 per month to M/s. Innovativa Waste Aid and Management Pvt. Ltd. for its supposed operation and maintenance.
The audit report from the Office of the Principal Accountant General of Goa highlights that the staff should have been trained to operate the plant, and the monthly expenditure could have been avoided.
Another significant allegation pertains to the non-functional Material Recovery Facility (MRF) at Zuarinagar, Sancoale.
The complaint states that door-to-door garbage collection payments, amounting to lakhs of rupees, are being made based on bogus muster roll entries, violating the rules that cap payments at Rs. 4,999 per muster roll. This has resulted in a total loss of Rs. 3,75,00,000 to the panchayat exchequer over two years.
Additionally, the complaint accuses Adv. Zellar C. De Souza of receiving exorbitant legal fees without any formal agreement or empanelling by the panchayat. Payments totalling over Rs. 28,00,000 for the financial year 2024-25 have been made, despite the audit report highlighting the lack of any contract or financial approval.
Mr. Orville C. Vales, the Gram Sevak, is also accused of assuming the role of Secretary without any authorization, leading to various procedural lapses, including the issuance of construction licenses and the conduct of panchayat meetings in an undemocratic manner.
“The manner in which the last four Village Panchayat fortnightly meetings were conducted was completely contrary to the Village Panchayat Act, unconstitutional and in a completely undemocratic manner,” Naik stated in the complaint. He further emphasized, “The said meetings ended abruptly at the start of the meeting itself, due to the high-handedness of Mr. Derrick Vales and Mr. Orville Vales without any deliberation and discussions.”
The allegations suggest a deep-seated issue of corruption and misuse of power within the Sancoale Village Panchayat, affecting the local community and the state exchequer significantly. The complaint is part of a broader pattern of administrative irregularities and financial mismanagement that have been plaguing the panchayat.
Naik has requested the Directorate of Panchayat to intervene immediately, conduct a detailed enquiry, and register offences against Derrick Vales and Orville C. Vales. He has also demanded recovery proceedings for the losses incurred by the panchayat. The complaint has been copied to various high-ranking officials, including the Prime Minister of India, the Minister of Home Affairs, the Governor of Goa, and the Chief Minister of Goa, among others.
As of now, there has been no official response from the Directorate of Panchayat or the individuals accused. The next steps include potential investigations and actions by the authorities to address the allegations and ensure transparency and accountability within the panchayat.