MARGAO
In yet another drive against abandoned vehicles in the commercial capital, South Goa district magistrate, Asvin Chandru on Wednesday issued a proclamation, calling upon the owners of abandoned vehicles to tow away their vehicles or risk their auction.
The proclamation is the second one issued by the district magistrate to clear vehicles abandoned on the city roads. A December 16, 2022 proclamation issued by then district magistrate, Jyoti Kumari, had called upon owners of 32 vehicles to tow away the abandoned vehicles or face an auction.
In the proclamation issued under Section 26 of the Indian Police Act, 1861, the district magistrate has called upon all the persons interested in the vehicles to submit their claims (if any) along with the documentary evidence to the office of the Deputy Collector & Sub Divisional Magistrate-1 (Salcete), Margao, within six months.
“If no objections/claims are received within the stipulated time, the vehicles will be forfeited in favour of the State Government and shall be disposed by public auction as provided under law and no further claims will be entertained from anyone and the proceeds will be forfeited to the Government,” the proclamation states.
The list of all identified vehicles is available with the Office of the Deputy Collector & Sub Divisional Magistrate -1, (Salcete). The proclamation has been issued based on a list submitted by the Deputy Superintendant of Police, Traffic, Margao, of abandoned/unclaimed vehicles found lying for a long period in the jurisdiction of the Margao and Fatorda areas.
The magistrate said the vehicles have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes which causes a rise in vector-borne diseases and thus is a health hazard to the general public. Besides, the abandoned vehicles have been causing obstruction, inconvenience and potential hazards to the public, and may lead to criminal activities or be used for unlawful purposes.
The list was compiled by the Margao Traffic Cell in-charge, PI S Dalvi, who said that 32 abandoned vehicles mentioned in the 2022 proclamation were towed away by the owners or the authorities on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Margao. Sources said the fate of the latest proclamation will depend on the availability of logistics including cranes to tow away the vehicles.
