the goan I network
CANACONA
Following strictures passed by the High Court, the Agonda panchayat ordered removal of around 87 illegal tourism structures erected in violation of CRZ notifications from a property on Agonda shore.
Serving a ‘notice of demolition’ dated September 5, 2019 on eight parties, including the village sarpanch, Agonda panchayat has asked for demolition of the structures existing in survey number 118/7 & 8 within seven days from the receipt of the notice.
The panchayat said non-adherence to the notice could mean the panchayat would be forced to engage a demolition squad to bring down the structures, the costs for which will be recovered from the parties concerned.
The demolition notice states, “Petitioner Ferdinando Fernandes has brought to the notice of the HC that in spite of the notice of the panchayat, you have not demolished the structures. And whereas during hearing of the said writ petition it was submitted by respondents No 5 to 12 that structures have been demolished. However, the petitioner disputed the said fact. The HC vide order dated August 13, 2019, directed the panchayat to once again visit the site to see whether the structures exist at the site or are demolished.”The panchayat conducted a joint site inspection on August 30, 2019 and recorded presence of several structures, including temporary ones, dump stores, water tanks with stands, restaurants, retaining walls, shops, pucca houses, temporary huts, underground septic tanks and dump material stores.
During the site inspection, petitioner Ferdinando Fernandes, all the 8 respondents, Agonda village panchcyat, Sarpanch Abel T Borges, Panchayat Secretary Sushant V Lolayekar were present. However, the inspection of August 30 was conducted in the absence of three other respondents -- GCZMA, Deputy Collector (Canacona) and Canacona BDO.
One of the respondents, the present sarpanch of Agonda village, has built a pucca toilet.
Also, one of the respondents is a wife of a former minister of Karnataka.
According to the petitioner, following his complaint of illegal tourism structures, the first panchanama was conducted in November 2016.
