MOVE A FOOT AGAIN TO RAZE ILLEGAL RUSSIAN MORJIM ASSETS

The office of the North Goa district collector has issued ademolition order against an illegal construction of True Axis Resorts Private Limited, Morjim, a company owned by Russians. In an order issued on December 21, 2009, the additional collector II, North Goa, has directed the deputy collector and mamlatdar of Pernem “to be physically present at the site on January 4, 2010, at 9.30am sharp to effectively carry out the demolition and to meet any untoward incident which may create a law and order problem”. The order also directs that a joint inspection of the illegal construction be carried out at least 48 hours before the scheduled time for demolition by the deputy collector Pernem and representative of the PWD to clearly identify and mark the illegal construction to be demolished. Following the above demolition order, the deputy collector, Panaji, who is also in charge of the demolition squad has issued another order making available the demolition squad for the scheduled demolition on January 4, 2010. The illegal construction comprising a compound wall and pucca structure is within CRZ limits in survey number 119/3-A Tembwada, Morjim. Incidentally, the property is also under the scrutiny of the Enforcement Directorate, which suspects that some Indian companies that bought large plots in the state could have acted as fronts for Russians acquiring land in violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, or Fema.