the goan I network
QUEPEM
Twenty illegal constructions were demolished at Pedamoll-Quepem under heavy police protection on Tuesday.
The demolition drive began at about 9.30 am as two JCB machines, labourers, electricity and water department personnel, municipal and government officials took part in the operations.
“Owners of 20 illegal structures were informed on humanitarian grounds on Monday evening to vacate the premises as demolition drive would be carried out on Tuesday morning,” one official told The Goan on condition of anonymity.
Administrator of Communidades (south zone) Margao, Deepesh N Priolkar had served demolition notice to 123 persons under Article 371 and 372 of the Code of Comunidades.
There are allegedly more than 160 illegal structures constructed on communidade land at Pedamoll-Sirvoi at Quepem taluka.
Although the residents had appealed against the demolition order at various judicial platforms, the demolition order was upheld and finally 20 illegal constructions were razed on Tuesday.
One of the residents Hasina Bi said that they were assured by a political leader that no one would touch their houses.
Another resident said they had been cheated by a local politician who had merely sold the leased property to them on a simple affidavit.
Yet another resident said he had purchased property from someone else who had never informed him about all these illegalities.
There was hue and cry as women wailed on seeing their houses getting demolished.
One woman even cursed one official who, she alleged, had taken money from them and demanded the refund of the amount.
However, there was no resistance from residents and the demolition drive was carried out without any untoward incident.
With the demolition of 20 illegal structures, there is fear that the remaining structures could soon meet with the same fate.
Some were seen planning to meet the politician who had assured them that he would handle everything and stop the demolition, while some other residents were planning to confront the politician who, they claimed, had sold them the property.
