Team Goemkarponn
SANCOALE: A new panel officially took charge of the Sancoale Panchayat on Tuesday with Paulina Azavedo being elected as the new Sarpanch and Tulshidas Naik elected as the Dy Sarpanch in an unopposed manner during a specially convened meeting of the panchayat body.
Seven panch members were present for the election proceedings while four members, including former Sarpanch Anusha Lamani and former Dy Sarpanch Derrick Vales, remained absent from the meeting.
Soon after the elections, the newly formed panel thanked Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and BJP Goa President Damodar Naik for their support, but launched a sharp attack on Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, alleging interference in the functioning of the village panchayat for several years.
The newly elected Sarpanch Paulina Azavedo thanked the members for electing her unanimously and assured that the panel would function unitedly for the welfare of the village.
“We will remain united for the development of the village. Our priority will be the new Panchayat Ghar project along with several other works for the benefit of the people,” said Azavedo.
Dy Sarpanch Tulshidas Naik alleged that the newly formed body had to undergo many days of struggle before the elections were finally conducted. He claimed that the panchayat had allegedly been functioning under the influence of Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho for the last nine years.
“We had to face several obstacles before this election was finally held. Earlier only two members were treated like opposition while Girish Pillai and later Derrick Vales were functioning like acting Sarpanchs and running the panchayat in a dictatorial manner. Orders were allegedly forced upon us saying they came from the minister, but we never believed it . However the recent developments over the last 45 days convinced us where the pressure was coming from,” alleged Naik.
Naik stated that the new body was “a panchayat of Sancoalekars and not a puppet of ministers anymore.”
He further alleged that despite a no-confidence motion being moved and accepted, the elections were delayed and an administrator was appointed instead of immediately conducting the polls.
“The BDO had informed the Panchayat Director to hold elections, but instead an administrator was appointed. Questions arise as to who instructed this move. The Panchayat Director is a gentleman, but there was immense pressure on him,” Naik alleged.
Naik also claimed that RTI activist Narayan Naik approaching the High Court played a crucial role in ensuring the elections were eventually held.
“We believe the elections would have been delayed for several more months had the High Court matter not come up. The notice for elections was issued just a day before the hearing,” he said.
He further alleged that the long-pending Panchayat Ghar project had failed to materialise despite foundation stone ceremonies being held multiple times.
“Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho launched the Panchayat Ghar project three times, but the building never came up. Builder Anand Bose had donated the huge prime land nearly seven years ago and the panchayat also has funds, yet we are still functioning from a rented premises and paying huge rent every month,” said Naik.
Naik thanked Anand Bose for donating the land for the Panchayat Ghar project and also claimed that Bose had fully supported the newly formed panel.
“The previous body was only interested in making money from the builders’ lobby while common people’s works were ignored,” alleged Naik.
The new panel maintained that while the Sancoale Panchayat falls under the Cortalim constituency, there had been unnecessary outside interference in its functioning from Godinho for several years.
“We are with the government and had also maintained that we were with Mauvin Godinho, but the obstacles faced by us clearly show that he did not want this panel to take charge,” Naik alleged.
