MARGAO
Armed with a memorandum issued by the Panchayat Director Siddhi Halarnakar on the controversial Davorlim house numbers imbroglio, former Dy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Monday demanded immediate issuance of Enable House Number (EHN) to all the 166 applicants who have filed applications before the Davorlim village panchayat.
Questioning TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane’s diktat to officials to raze down all the 166 houses built in a tenanted land at Davorlim since they are illegal in nature, Ajgaonkar demanded that the TCP Minister should also demolish thousands of illegal houses at Moti Dongor, Azad Nagar, Fakir Bandh, Sodhu bandh, all in Margao, Tolleaband in Benaulim, Zuari Nagar, Kargil in Curtorim and Karaswada in Mapusa.
He further said BJP State President Sadanand Tanavade should take care of BJP ST leader Anthony Barbosa from making statements directed at him, warning that he and the Gandhi market ST vendors would not spare anyone making baseless charges against him in the future.
He also dared the Revolutionary Goans to touch even one of the 166 illegal houses at Davorlim, warning that those who touch the illegal houses will not go unpunished.
Addressing the media, Ajgaonkar demanded to know why the 166 illegal houses have been denied the EHN when illegal houses across the State are being issued the numbers as per the Amendment passed by the Assembly. “Why point fingers at the 166 houses in Davorlim. Is it because they belong to the Muslim community? Have our leaders forgotten Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Sab Ka Sath, Sab ka Vikas mantra,” he questioned.
He further pointed out that both TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane and his father Pratapsing Rane had voted for the Amendment to issue EHN in the Assembly along with the MLAs. “I am not asking to legalise the 166 houses, which have been in existence for over 15 years. As per the Amendment, they are entitled for EHN. They have only asked the Davorlim panchayat to issue the house number,” he said.
He added: “I am not even asking the Davorlim panchayat to issue the numbers. All we are demanding is that the panchayat should take a resolution, either grant or reject the applications so that we challenge the resolutions before the Additional Director of Panchayats. But, the panchayat is sitting over the applications without rhyme or reason.”
Saying he is not a stranger in Davorlim, Ajgaonkar said he was instrumental in giving 125 houses under the 20-point programme. “The ST community vendors from Davorlim are doing business in the Gandhi market and we had fought for their rights so that they get a shed to make business,” he said, saying it is for the BJP president Sadanand Tanavade to take a call on BJP ST leader Anthony Barbosa to stop making statements on him.
ST woman vendors from Davorlim, doing business in the Gandhi market have rallied behind Ajgaonkar, questioning BJP ST leader Anthony Barbosa’s locus standi in making statements against the former Dy CM on the Davorlim housing issue.
Salcete BDO to direct Davorlim VP secy to place matter before p’yat for action
MARGAO: Director of Panchayats Siddhi Halarnakar’s memorandum has directed the Salcete Block Development Officer to direct the Davorlim Panchayat Secretary to place the matter pertaining to the 166 applications for Enable House Number (EHN) before the panchayat body and to take appropriate action within the purview of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act.
The Panchayat Director, however, has categorically stated that if the Davorlim panchayat fails to issue the EHN to the applicants, the village Panchayat secretary may be directed to inform the applicants to challenge the resolution which will be adopted by the village panchayat before the Additional Director of Panchayat-I, South under Section 174 of the Goa Panchayati Raj Act for redressal of their grievances.
