Taking cognizance of the complaint made by local villagers Sandesh Sitaram Sawant and villagers, Konkan Commissioner orders to take action against Sarpanch Vaidhi Vijay Bendre of Kolhewadi Gram Panchayat.

An order to take action against Sarpanch Vaidhi Vijay Bendre of Kolhewadi Gram Panchayat in Lanja taluka has been given by the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan Division, Kokan Bhavan. The local villager Sandesh Sitaram Sawant and the villagers had complained about this to the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan Division. Accordingly, the Divisional Commissioner has ordered that action be taken against him under Bombay Act No. 3, Section 39 (1) of the Gram Panchayat Act, 1958, accusing him of wrongful conduct, irregularity and dereliction of duty while giving orders. The complaint was lodged by local villagers Sandesh Sawant and Kolhewadi villagers. Sarpanch Vaidhi Bendre, while he was working, complained that the Gram Panchayat was being run in an arbitrary manner without taking the village into confidence, after conducting a thorough investigation, Sarpanchs including Deputy Sarpanch Vaishnavi Sawant, Member Sakshi Sharad Sawant, Abhijeet Naresh Sawant were also investigated and their positions were canceled. A demand was made. While making this demand, the villagers raised many issues. There was a complaint about the road connecting Mauje Kolhewadi Market to Rajivlevadi, Joilwadi Pashtewadi, Sawantwadi. But for his work, the funds required for litigation were spent by the Sarpanch from the funds of the Gram Panchayat. It was opposed by three members. In fact, it required permission from other Gram Panchayat members and the Gram Sabha to fund the expenditure. Because this case was not against Gram Panchayat but against two individual farmers. But the sarpanch, deputy sarpanch, two members and gram sevak spent arbitrarily. They did not spend the three years from 2020 to 2023 as per the fifteenth finance commission. Therefore, no development work was done in the village. In the Gram Sabha of 22/05/2022, the topic of black stone quarrying was kept. The gram sabha showed special opposition to this issue and a resolution against it was passed. It was said that permission should not be given for black stone quarrying. But in the Gram Sabha it was decided that the Gram Panchayat body should take that decision on its own responsibility on the last two lines ‘but’, such sentences Sarpanch, Upsarpanch, Gram Sevak Chetan Dabholkar and two other members tampered with the Gram Sabha resolution with their consent. The subject of monthly meeting 21/07/2022 was kept regarding the letter for black stone mining. But that topic is not of the monthly meeting but of the Gram Sabha. For that, it was said that a gram sabha should be held and the topic should be taken on the agenda. But the villagers have alleged that the sarpanch did not raise this issue in the gram sabha for their own selfish interests. Before giving no objection certificate to the concerned parties for black stone mining, the sarpanch and gram sevak wrongly took the villagers into confidence for their own selfish interests without inquiring about the environmental certificate, pollution certificate and other certificates. No objection was filed. In the meeting dated 30/5/2023 also a resolution was passed against black stone quarrying. Panchayat Samiti Extension Officer S.L. was the observer of this meeting. Kamble was present. In this meeting, the Sarpanch hesitated for two months to pass the resolution of the Gram Sabha and the resolution was passed on 2/8/2024. At this time, 36 out of 38 villagers protested. The resolution was passed by 36 to 2. On 27/4/2023 in the Gram Sabha, when the villagers asked questions to the Sarpanch regarding the development work or against the stone crusher, the Sarpanch called the villagers as opponents. Similarly, when the gram sabha was going on, he left the gram sabha by making kangawa in the gram sabha and went to the police station to complain against the villagers. The plans related to water in the Jaljeevan Mission were prepared by the Sarpanch without informing the villagers and without holding a meeting and sent it for approval. Villager Sandesh Sawant and the villagers raised various issues such as the Sarpanch issued no objection certificates to the concerned persons for quarrying black stone without asking the village and complained to the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan Division, Kokan Bhavan. According to this complaint, the Divisional Commissioner, Konkan The department has ordered action against Sarpanch Vaidhi Bendre while fixing the charges.