ILLEGAL SHACKS DEMOLISHED IN BARDEZ

Tourism department officials demolished six shacks illegally erected on tourism land on the beaches of Calangute, Candolim and Nerul. Confirming the demolitions, tourism director Swapnil Naik said his staff had identified the illegal shacks around 10 days ago. The illegal shacks were erected without obtaining any NOCs and licenses from tourism department. The department mobilised the demolition squad of the deputy collector North Goa and demolished five shacks on the Calangute-Candolim beach stretch and one shack in Nerul. The demolitions were done under police protection. When asked if the department will file any charges against the owners of the illegal shacks, Naik said no charges will be filed but the shack policy has a provision whereby these offenders can be barred from applying for shacks in the future. The tourism department had also demolished eight shacks and vending stalls on the beaches of Keri and Arambol in Pernem taluka .

SARPANCH, SECRETARY SUMMONED IN ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION CASE

While illegal constructions have been coming up in the State despite of rules and regulations in place, one such construction in Chandor-Cavorim village in Salcete taluka has landed authorities in trouble as issue was brought before the High Court.A Division Bench comprising of Justices Naresh H Patil and N A Britto had summoned Deputy Director of Panchayats, South Goa and the BDO, Salcete to the Court over illegal construction When the matter came up for hearing the Court raised the question as to how an illegal construction done without any prior permissions, could be regularised. “Anybody can construct anywhere and then seek legalisation,” remarked Justice Patil.However, Adv Rodrigues explained that under Village Panchayat Building Regulations there is a provision to legalise an illegal structure if permissible in law. Offending structure is not regularised if not permitted under the law. Also, penalty is imposed on the applicant, he said.He also pointed out that one of the circumstances that led to passing of the order was that panchayat had passed resolution to regularise the structure.However, counsel for the petitioner Adv Galileo Teles told the Court that the provision under VPBR is not applicable in this case as the person who has carried out illegal construction has not made an application for legalisation of the structure. The Division Bench also asked government advocate why panchayat was not heard by the deputy director before passing the Court. The Court directed that notices be issued to the sarpanch, the secretary to remain present on the next date of hearing.

POLICE RAID LOUTOLIM VILLAGE PANCHAYAT

The Maina Curtorim Police raided the office of the village Panchayat of Loutolim in connection with the alleged fake Regional Plan 2021 submitted to the Town and Country Planning department.A police team made their presence felt at the panchayat ghar o and verified the documents submitted by the Panchayat to the police and the original documents lying in the Panchayat office.Maina Curtorim Police station incharge, PI Sidhant Shirodkar informed that the police recorded the statements of the panchayat secretary and other staff and have verified the outward register.Replying to a question, PI Shirodkar informed that the investigations into the case is currently on, adding that the police today verified certain original documents and recorded the statements of the staff.Further investigations are on.

12 SHACKS RAZED AT KERI AND ARAMBOL

The tourism department on Tuesday demolished 12 shacks which were operating without the necessary permit at Keri and Arambol beaches.According to reports, authorities demolished 11 shacks at Keri beach . Incidentally, one of the shacks reportedly belonged to Rama Harji, husband of Keri-Terekhol Sarpanch Rima Harji. The other shacks were owned by Mahesh Talkar, Gulabo Talkar, Sandeep Talkar, Yogesh Talkar, Raja Mathkar, anant Gaonkar, Data Devji, Kishor Devji, Dattaram Kalangutkar and Amar Talkar.Later, tourism authorities demolished one shack at Arambol beach. The shacks were demolished under police protection.

BENAULIM VILLAGERS WANT RESERVATION FOR GULF RETURNEES

The plight of thousands of Goans working in the Gulf countries who are facing the impact of ‘World Recession’, which could render them jobless seemed to have stirred Benaulim villagers to move a resolution in its gram sabha . During the gram sabha, it was resolved that 90 percent jobs in the village’s starred hotels and the hotel industry should be utilised for Goans, particularly those returning to the home state from the Gulf countries. Majority of the gram sabha members opined that help could be sought to sort out any differences existing between the members of the gram sabha and the elected representatives in the interest of the village, and added that the local MLA, Mr Francisco Pacheco, panchayat minister, director of panchayat and the collector could be approached to settle the problems faced by the villagers. Their opinion was largely accepted at the adjourned meeting of the panchayat, which for various reasons saw turmoil in several gram sabhas in the past.A special meeting was sought to be held in this regard and a resolution was adopted in this respect too. The marathon gram sabha finally concluded after witnessing eight consecutive adjournments, which is a record of sort in the history of the gram sabha of the panchayats held anywhere in the state and these adjournments took over a period of around three months.The meeting which was chaired by the deputy sarpanch, Mr Stanley Fernandes in the absence of sarpanch, Ms Carmeline Fernandes, who sources disclosed, has reported to be sick, took stock of the grievances of the villagers and came in for appreciation for the concern of the villagers’ problems.One of the hotly debated issues was regarding the adamant attitude of the hoteliers to recruit locals and after good discussion on the subject a five-member committee was formed to keep a check on hotels that fail to employ the locals.The issue of the ‘Dando football ground’ also figured wherein it was felt that not enough steps were taken by the panchayat body to take possession of this ground. But when the deputy sarpanch promised that this issue would be settled, calm prevailed and the gram sabha reposed faith in the words of the chairperson who announced that a sum of Rs 35 lakh have been budgeted for the development of this football ground.Another issue that figured as usual was regarding the mega housing projects wherein a demand was made that erring builders should be taken to task.Meanwhile, confusion prevailed at the gram sabha of the Raia panchayat that was held on Sunday to discuss the draft regional plan, 2021.There were differences of opinion regarding the draft regional plan prepared by the village committee and the one prepared by the panchayat body.The sarpanch, Mr Savio Gomes came in for lot of criticism from the gram sabha members for allegedly stifling the voice and the will of the villagers and for his decision to scrap the draft regional plan prepared by the village level regional plan committee.This announcement of scrapping the regional plan of the village level committee was made after the sarpanch gave just two options --- either to accept the plan or reject it and then announced that the regional plan has been rejected. It was disclosed that a fresh regional plan would be drawn taking into consideration, suggestions and objections from the villagers. The fresh regional plan would be displayed at the village panchayat once it is ready and this would be done in a short period of time, it was disclosed.

KHOLA IN PERPLEXED STATE WITH 19 STRUCTURES MARKED FOR DEMOLITION

With the South Goa demolition squad all set to demolish 74 structures in Poinguinim and Loliem-Polem villages , Khola residents have been left in a perplexed situation with 19 marked CRZ illegal structures.The South Goa demolition squad is all set to raze down 40 CRZ-related structures on Poinguinim village coast, mainly in Talpona and Galgibaga areas.The Loliem-Polem panchayat area with 34 marked structures is next on the list of demolition squad from January 18.However, the demolitions of CRZ-related structures, which even though already served with demolition orders at Agonda (30) and Khola (19), dates are yet to be fixed, but expected shortly after the demolitions at two southern coastal panchayat areas.“Some identified structures responding to the demolition orders have already demolished structures themselves and accordingly filed a reply to the panchayat with photographic proof,” Agonda Sarpanch Jovi Fernandes told Herald.“We have not arrived at any figure, but when a date is fixed, demolitions of only the remaining CRZ structures will be taken up,” said Fernandes, replying as to how many of the identified CRZ structures have themselves demolished illegal CRZ structures.However, residents in Khola are still not ready to accept the demolitions of CRZ-related structures of even a single of the identified 19 structures in any form.Speaking to Herald, Khola Bachao Abhiyan President Precopio Fernandes said: “Presently, what is happening in the rest of the coastal villages in the State is unacceptable to us. We will not allow such demolitions of a single structure in our village.”Says Romato D’Costa, a local, “Most of the 19 structures said to be identified by the Khola panchayat belongs to ST community people and I wonder how the government is going to take care of the affected people.”One Ambrosio Cardozo, was also sceptical of the government doing nothing on the issue and is visibly bent in saying that government is determined to uproot niz-goenkar’ from their own State.“With none in actual taking up the salvage operations to save people’ residences from imminent danger of CRZ-related demolitions, what we as senior residents of the State are supposed to do in such circumstances is not known,” asked Cardozo, who don’t see any hope for the young generation of the State to live in peace in future in their own State.KBA President said: “We don’t give empty warnings, but if at all government fails to protect all our 19 marked CRZ structures in the village and dares to touch even a single structure, the government may have to fight with its own people who will not lag behind to wage a war for their survival.”

STRUCTURES IN CALANGUTE CRZ TO GO

At least 40 structures within the CRZ-I area of Calangute have been finalized for demolition, according to a recent order of the North Goa deputy collector. According to sources, the revenue authorities have fixed January 7, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14 as the days for the demolition drive in Calangute. The deputy collector has already sanctioned the demolition squad to carry out the exercise. The North Goa SP has been asked to provide a police force and the PWD to provide labour. Likewise, the electricity department has been requested to disconnect electricity supply to the structures to be demolished. The 40 structures in Calangute are part of the 344 structures finalized for demolition by the North Goa deputy collector in the villages of Arambol, Morjim, Anjuna and Calangute. On December 1, 2009, the deputy collector had finalized the demolition of the 344 structures in North Goa after these were identified by the respective panchayats through their affidavits in the high court. The deputy collector’s order is in compliance with the directions of the high court of Bombay at Goa to work out an eight-week time schedule to carry out demolitions of the illegal structures built in violation of the CRZ notification. Razing of illegal structures in Pernem taluka has already begun with the demolition squad levelling several illegalities in CRZ-I in Morjim on January 4 and more demolitions in the village fixed for coming days.