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.”