MARGAO
A resident of Sao Jose de Areal on Tuesday questioned good governance by the ruling dispensation, claiming that the district administration South has been dragging its feet on cutting three trees leaning on his house on grounds there’s no money in the treasury to foot the bill of the tree cutting contractor.
Addressing the media, Menino Fernandes pointed out that though all decks were cleared for the cutting of the three trees, these still remain as the administration has claimed that there’s no account head for the purpose.
“The rule stated that in case of failure of the party to comply with the order to cut the trees, the tree officer or the Deputy Collector has to implement the order at the cost and charges of the owner or occupier of the land and all expenses incurred thereof shall be recovered as arrears of land revenue under the Goa Land Revenue Code,” he said.
Menino pointed out that he called on Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte on three occasions, but lamented that there’s no change in the ground reality. “I have met three District Collectors, Swapnil
Naik, Anjali Sehrawat and Tariq Thomas, who all maintained that there are no funds to pay the contractor to cut the trees,” he said, adding “it was only outgoing Collector Tariq Thomas who had assured me that he will somehow arrange to cut down the trees.”
He said the village talathi had come for an inspection of the land on December 2018 at the instance of the Mamlatdar’s office to check whether the order of the Deputy Collector has been complied with or not. “What a shame to say that the government has no funds and yet this BJP government claims that they provide good governance,” Menino added.
When The Goan contacted Deputy Collector Uday Prabhudesai, he said he will direct the Salcete Mamlatdar to submit a report.
