Closure from 6 pm to 8 am for crowd control, safety
BICHOLIM
Bicholim Sub Divisional Magistrate Subham Naik on Saturday issued an order directing all stalls, shops, hotels and similar temporary or permanent commercial structures operating within all zones of the Event Management Plan for Shri Devi Lairai zatra, Shirgao, to remain strictly closed and non-operational from 6 pm on April 21 to 8 am on April 22.
Naik, however, stated that this restriction shall not apply to the stalls specifically approved by the Collector and Chairperson, DDMA, North Goa in an order dated April 10.
Naik stated that the preventive restrictions on the operation of stalls, shops, hotels and similar structures in all zones covered under the Event Management Plan were necessary in the interest of public safety, crowd management and maintenance of unobstructed emergency access from 6 pm on April 21 to 8 am on April 22.
“During the aforesaid period, no person shall carry on sale, service, cooking, storage, display of goods, customer entry, or any allied commercial activity from any stall, shop, hotel or similar structure in any of the notified zones, except insofar as permitted under the aforesaid order dated April 10 in respect of approved stalls,” stated Naik.
“No person shall erect, reopen, permit access to, or otherwise operate any unauthorised stall, shop, hotel or similar structure during the aforesaid restricted period, whether or not any claim of permission is made.”
The Bicholim SDM stated that this restriction shall apply to all unauthorised stalls, shops, hotels and similar structures falling within or affecting the operational zones, access routes, pedestrian corridors, holding areas, Homkhand area, main Tali area and emergency movement corridors.
He added that the Mamlatdar of Bicholim Taluka, as incharge office of the Joint Task Force, shall ensure strict enforcement of this order. The Joint Task Force comprising the Mamlatdar, Police, fire & emergency services, electricity department, PWD (Roads), PWD (Buildings) and Secretary of Shirgao Panchayat shall take immediate steps for compliance, including closure of unauthorised operations, removal of offending obstruction and such further action as may necessary in the interest of public safety.
The SDM has warned that any violation of the order by any person operating any stall, shop, hotel or similar structure otherwise than in accordance with the Collector’s order dated April 10 shall render the person concerned liable to immediate action by the Joint Task Force and shall also invite penal action under 223 of the BNS 2023, besides such other action as may be permissible under law.
