The Sarpanch of Benaulim finds it more convenient to address the villagers through the Press rather than face the Gram Sabha members at the meetings. How else can she afford to feed lies to the public? We reproduce below the news report (in Italics) that appeared on the English daily Herald of June 12, 2009 with our responses (in bold).
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JUNE 11
Benaulim Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes have challenged any person to show any material facts that she and the Panchayat body were persistently remiss in the discharge of her or their duties or have misused or abused powers vested in her or them.
Reacting to the demand raised by residents of Benaulim for the dissolution of the Panchayat body, Carmelina said action contemplated can only be taken on persistent remiss in the discharge of duties of a Sarpanch and or misusing or abusing the powers given by the Panchayat.
BANAULEKARS RESPOND
The Benaulim Villagers don’t blame `our Carmelin’. She sometimes forgets that she is the Sarpanch of the village and conveniently tends to slip away before the commencement of a Gram Sabha, which she herself had convened. Please madam, catch-up on your reading. The sins of Commission And Omission have been deliberated during the adjourned Gram Sabha meeting held on 7.06.2009. Those were the starters. The main course will follow.
She said several members of the so-called Benaulim Action committee were previous members of the panchayat body and sarpanch and they did not form any committee.. “Till date, no panchayat in Goa has formed any ward development committee. The Panchayat Act clearly states that the Panchayat may formulate the Ward Development Committee and the same is not mandatory”, she added.
The Benaulim Villagers don’t blame `our Carmelin’. She sometimes forgets that she is the Sarpanch of the village and conveniently tends to slip away before the commencement of a Gram Sabha, which she herself had convened. Please madam, catch-up on your reading. The sins of Commission And Omission have been deliberated during the adjourned Gram Sabha meeting held on 7.06.2009. Those were the starters. The main course will follow.
She said several members of the so-called Benaulim Action committee were previous members of the panchayat body and sarpanch and they did not form any committee.. “Till date, no panchayat in Goa has formed any ward development committee. The Panchayat Act clearly states that the Panchayat may formulate the Ward Development Committee and the same is not mandatory”, she added.
BANAULEKARS RESPOND
The issues related to the participatory planning for the Benaulim Village are not limited to formulating Committees or the Ward Development Committee [WDC]. It goes beyond the formation of a WDC in Benaulim village to not convening a single meeting of the said WDC even after six months of it being formed. The socio-economic plan was to be ready by November, 2008. We are now in June, 2009. It is heartening to know that the Sarpanch is well versed with the knowledge and interpretation of the Goa Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, and Rules made thereunder. How come she is selectively ignorant of the requirement that Gram Sabha resolutions have to discussed and implemented by the Panchayat Body within the meaning of the Goa Panchayati Raj Act, 1994
The Benaulim Sarpanch sought to know why the media accepts the opinion of few persons, who are all persons who have lost panchayat elections and are making false statements to score points for future elections.
The issues related to the participatory planning for the Benaulim Village are not limited to formulating Committees or the Ward Development Committee [WDC]. It goes beyond the formation of a WDC in Benaulim village to not convening a single meeting of the said WDC even after six months of it being formed. The socio-economic plan was to be ready by November, 2008. We are now in June, 2009. It is heartening to know that the Sarpanch is well versed with the knowledge and interpretation of the Goa Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, and Rules made thereunder. How come she is selectively ignorant of the requirement that Gram Sabha resolutions have to discussed and implemented by the Panchayat Body within the meaning of the Goa Panchayati Raj Act, 1994
The Benaulim Sarpanch sought to know why the media accepts the opinion of few persons, who are all persons who have lost panchayat elections and are making false statements to score points for future elections.
BANAULEKARS RESPOND
BVAC is a forum of all Benaulim Villagers which has been demonstrated time and gain during the past one year. In a village forum, there are bound to be persons who may have contested and lost panchayat elections. They have their social responsibility too.
BVAC is a forum of all Benaulim Villagers which has been demonstrated time and gain during the past one year. In a village forum, there are bound to be persons who may have contested and lost panchayat elections. They have their social responsibility too.
The Benaulim residents challenge the Sarpanch and her entourage of `no good doers’ to prove any of the statements false. If the Government authorities do not see reason in the so called `false statements’, we are confident that the Judiciary will.
“The opinion of these persons does not represent the remaining 17,000 people who have never been heard and not allowed to be spoken”, she said.
BANAULEKARS RESPOND
The opinion of the Gram Sabha members does matter. How can the GS members speak when she and her Panchayat body does not attend or convene Gram Sabhas in time. Even if one forgets the Village Plan under RP 2021 for the moment, what is Benaulim Panchayat’s track record on other issues during the last two years?
Saying that the panchayat had always been acting as per the law, Carmelina has challenged any person to show any non-action during the present term of functioning. “The Sarpanch and all ward members have started the cleaning of drains. However, till date, the secretary has not cleared the drain cleaning amount of last year”, she said.
The opinion of the Gram Sabha members does matter. How can the GS members speak when she and her Panchayat body does not attend or convene Gram Sabhas in time. Even if one forgets the Village Plan under RP 2021 for the moment, what is Benaulim Panchayat’s track record on other issues during the last two years?
Saying that the panchayat had always been acting as per the law, Carmelina has challenged any person to show any non-action during the present term of functioning. “The Sarpanch and all ward members have started the cleaning of drains. However, till date, the secretary has not cleared the drain cleaning amount of last year”, she said.
BANAULEKARS RESPOND
The Sarpanch and her ward members appear to be in a stupor. The clogged and the dirty drains are a testimony to her false assertions. The Panchayat is yet to start the cleaning work till date. Having made a statement to the press, it could have been prudent on her part to start work on at least a single drain as a face saving measure. The Gram Sabha had been vociferously urging the panchayat to commence de-silting/cleaning operations from mid-May since it is comparatively less expensive to procure labour and easier to clean the drains. As for the secretary not clearing the drain cleaning amount of last year, need we say anything about the efficiency of the Sarpanch and the Panchayat to get things done.
Asserting that no construction license had been approved during the present term, the Sarpanch has challenged any person to show any file or mega construction approved during her terms as Sarpanch.
The Sarpanch and her ward members appear to be in a stupor. The clogged and the dirty drains are a testimony to her false assertions. The Panchayat is yet to start the cleaning work till date. Having made a statement to the press, it could have been prudent on her part to start work on at least a single drain as a face saving measure. The Gram Sabha had been vociferously urging the panchayat to commence de-silting/cleaning operations from mid-May since it is comparatively less expensive to procure labour and easier to clean the drains. As for the secretary not clearing the drain cleaning amount of last year, need we say anything about the efficiency of the Sarpanch and the Panchayat to get things done.
Asserting that no construction license had been approved during the present term, the Sarpanch has challenged any person to show any file or mega construction approved during her terms as Sarpanch.
BANAULEKARS RESPOND
The Sarpanch’s diversionary tactics are very evident. No Gram Sabha member has ever complained that this Panchayat Body has approved mega construction projects recently. We stand by our statements that the Sarpanch, including the Panchayat Body has failed to take action on the irregularities committed by the licence holders of these so called mega projects. The inaction on part of the Panchayat Body for the last one year can be deduced as a `Safeway’ for the builders to complete the construction without any hindrance.
She, however, said many mega projects which received approval from PWD and obtained NOC from the TCP, wherein the so-called Action Committee has failed to confront the other departments.
The Sarpanch’s diversionary tactics are very evident. No Gram Sabha member has ever complained that this Panchayat Body has approved mega construction projects recently. We stand by our statements that the Sarpanch, including the Panchayat Body has failed to take action on the irregularities committed by the licence holders of these so called mega projects. The inaction on part of the Panchayat Body for the last one year can be deduced as a `Safeway’ for the builders to complete the construction without any hindrance.
She, however, said many mega projects which received approval from PWD and obtained NOC from the TCP, wherein the so-called Action Committee has failed to confront the other departments.
BANAULEKARS RESPOND
This statement again proves her immaturity. There is a redressal mechanism withing the Directorate of Panchayats and in the judicial system available for the Panchayat to appeal if it feels that the PWD, TCP or other Departments have erred. The Gram Sabha has got the undisputed right to question the Panchayat. The Panchayat Body cannot expect the GS members to confront each and every Department.. It is the duty of the Panchayat to do that. It cannot abdicate its responsibility and only use or abuse its powers.
She said the bais of the so called Action committee members toward here is well know after they tried to put a garland of slippers on her on the day of her election as village Sarpanch.
This statement again proves her immaturity. There is a redressal mechanism withing the Directorate of Panchayats and in the judicial system available for the Panchayat to appeal if it feels that the PWD, TCP or other Departments have erred. The Gram Sabha has got the undisputed right to question the Panchayat. The Panchayat Body cannot expect the GS members to confront each and every Department.. It is the duty of the Panchayat to do that. It cannot abdicate its responsibility and only use or abuse its powers.
She said the bais of the so called Action committee members toward here is well know after they tried to put a garland of slippers on her on the day of her election as village Sarpanch.
BANAULEKARS RESPOND
BVAC would not like to be drawn into this controversy of the garland of slippers. The Chairperson of BVAC is on record having welcomed the new Sarpanch on her getting elected to the post. The photograph on the newspaper showed two persons holding a garland of slippers. These two people later clarified that it was not meant for a particular person and that they were holding the garland to remind the new Sarpanch that the villagers will garland them with slippers if they do not function effectively. The elections to the Sarpanch were held behind closed doors with police protection. There were three candidates in the fray. There was no way that these people could have known that Carmelina would get elected as a Sarpanch. Unless she says that the elections were rigged and the result was announced before the election process even started. That is not the view of the BVAC and, hence, it is unfair to accuse us of having personal animosity against her. We have none.. We only want the person who is elected as the Sarpanch of our village to be 'the first among equals' and keep the interest of the village and villagers uppermost in all he or she does. The one who is unprepared to do this should step down and make way for the one who is willing and able to do it. There are enough Panch members vying for that post, if she finds it a burden on her conscience and on her shoulders.
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