The Cavelossim gram sabha while approving a surplus budget, on Sunday resolved to convene a special meeting to discuss the amended coastal regulation zone notification besides objecting to handing over archaeological monuments for adoption to private companies. The villagers argued that Cavelossim being a coastal village is much affected by the Coastal Regulation Zone and hence demanded that a special gram sabha be convened to discuss the amendments thoroughly so that they can understand its implications. Sarpanch Dionizio Dias agreed to the demand and assured the villagers that the date of the special meeting will be finalised at the next panchayat body meeting and accordingly conveyed to the people. The villagers also strongly objected to handing over archaeological sites or monuments to private companies for adoption and expressed concern that Goans may lose all rights or claims over these historic places that have belonged to them for ages. Some villagers pointed out that the monuments proposed to be handed over belong to a particular community and expressed fears that this could tear asunder the communal harmony prevailing in the State for years now. The villagers also directed the panchayat to write to the Town and Country Planning Department along with copies of all old resolutions adopted by the panchayat and gram sabha objecting to various conversions and ask the department to honour the people’s wishes and not to convert these lands into settlement zone. The demand from people to have two tax structures for Goans and non-Goans for the lodging houses was rejected by the sarpanch who explained that the law was uniform for everyone and does not discriminate. The sarpanch revealed that all accesses to the beaches that were blocked have been opened except for one and assured that even that access will be thrown open shortly. Incidentally, most of the accesses that were blocked were through private properties. The gram sabha approved a surplus budget of Rs 30,32,235 for the year 2018-19 while also approving the statement of account for the year 2017-18. For the first time a garbage tax is proposed to be collected from the people and Rs 5 lakh is expected from this. Other major receipts are Rs 16 lakh by way of house tax and Rs 7 lakh as garbage grants. The panchayat proposes to provide bins to households to store garbage and Rs 4 lakh are provided for this. The other major expenses provided for are Rs 30 lakh for construction of roads and culverts, Rs 2 lakh for acquisition of land for cattle pound and Rs 3 lakh for garbage collection.