OLD GOA
Old Goa panchayat authorities held a meeting of the kiosk owners operating in and around the heritage sites and urged them to remove their kiosks by April 4.
The authorities informed the kiosk owners that they have received directives from the higher authorities to clear the areas in and around the heritage sites, ahead of the G20 summit.
“If you do not clear the kiosks by April 4, then the authorities will clear the same on April 5,” the kiosk owners were told.
However, the kiosk owners protested over the short notice given to them and also questioned whether they would be relocated. But, authorities told that nobody is given licence to make the kiosks permanent.
The authorities, however, informed that they could be relocated if a suitable space is identified.
After the meeting, a kiosk owner Rudresh Mayekar pointed out the kiosk is their only livelihood.
“And we have been given a short notice of only few days to remove our kiosks without any rehabilitation plan,” Mayekar stated and also informed that there is no clarity on the exact period when they would not be allowed to operate their kiosks.
Another kiosk owner Ashok Madkaikar said that he has been operating his kiosk for past 30 years and this is his only livelihood.
“Now, they are coming and asking us to remove the kiosk, which is not right. There should have been a proper process because this G20 summit was not planned overnight,” Madkaikar informed while demanding that at least they be rehabilitated in some other area.
