MARGAO
South Goa District Collector, Asvin Chandru is transferred out of office after presiding over the district administration over the last 21 months, but the “unsafe” building ordered for demolition by the outgoing Collector under the Disaster Management Act not only stands tall but plays host to business activity right in the heart of the commercial capital.
That’s not all. After almost a year after the Collector had initiated the process to demolish the unsafe building on November 13, 2023, the saga surrounding the unsafe building has come back to full circle, raising serious questions on bureaucratic red tape, the blame game by the authorities and how business continues unabated in the unsafe building right under the nose of the Margao Municipal Council.
Hopes were raised around a month ago that the South Goa demolition squad headed by Deputy Collector, Ramesh Gaonkar would deploy men and machinery to bring down the unsafe building as per the district Collector’s order. Sadly, the matter, however, has come back to square one, with the demolition squad now requesting the Margao civic body to coordinate with the concerned PWD officials to carry out the demolition.
Consider this: On September 29 last, the Margao Municipal Council, after months of dilly-dallying on executing the district Collector’s order to raze down the unsafe building, had knocked the doors of the Deputy Collector, Margao with a plea to requisition the demolition squad in order to carry out the demolition of building named as “Cabeca De Calconden” situated on Isidoro Baptista Road, Margao.
However, on October 9, the office of the Deputy Collector, Margao wrote back to the Margao Municipal Chief Office with a request to coordinate with the concerned PWD official, if the civic body requires any assistance from Public Works Department in order to carry out the demolition of the unsafe building. Deputy Collector Ramesh Gaonkar further pointed out to the MMC CO that his office will provide necessary police protection and Executive Magistrate at the time of demolition, if required. The Deputy Collector’s letter to the Margao Chief Officer clearly indicates that the demolition squad will not take up the demolition of the unsafe building with the Deputy Collector pushing the ball in the Margao Municipal Council to take the district Collector’s order to its logical conclusion.
Sources in the know told The Goan that the Deputy Collector and Chairman of the demolition squad has returned back the MMC’s requisition request for the demolition squad back to the civic body after the Margao Municipal officials played truant to the inspection fixed by the Deputy Collector’s office with the PWD engineers. While the team deployed by the Deputy Collector and a senior executive engineer, PWD had turned up for the inspection, the inspection came a cropper for want of any MMC official. “By playing truant for the inspection fixed by the Deputy Collector, the MMC has sent a signal that it is not keen in executing the Collector’s order for demolition of the unsafe building. Let the Chief Officer now approach the PWD and execute the order,” remarked a senior official in the Collectorate.
A MMC official, on the other hand, however, insisted that no civic official could attend the inspection in view of a review meeting called by the local MLA. “How can the Deputy Collector refuse to provide the services of the demolition squad when the very purpose behind constituting the squad is to facilitate demolitions,” the civic official added.
Dy Collector seeks compliance report from MMC chief officer
If Deputy Collector, Margao Ramesh Gaonkar, heading the South Goa demolition squad, had on October 9 last, told the MMC to approach the PWD to demolish the unsafe building, Deputy Collector, Velton Tellis has sent a fresh reminder to the MMC to execute the District Collector’s order and submit compliance.
In his letter dated October 18, Deputy Collector Tellis reminded the MMC Chief Officer vis-Ã -vis the order dated November 13, 2023 issued by the Collector and Chairperson of the South Goa District Disaster Management Authority under Section 30 Sub-section (2) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
If sources are to be believed, the office of the Deputy Collector, Margao has sent a host of reminders to the civic body since the district Collector, South had issued the demolition order on November 13, 2023.
Complainant alleges blame game in unsafe building controversy
Complainant Collin Coelho has slammed the authorities including the Margao Municipal Council for turning a blind eye to the business activity in the unsafe building. Saying the district Collector’s order has gone abegging till date, Coelho attributes the situation to the blame game by the concerned authorities. “After the Collector had ordered demolition of the unsafe building, authorities including the MMC must have sealed the business activity in the premise in the interest of the public. Sadly, business activity continues unabated in the unsafe building,” he said.
He questioned: “Why are the authorities going slow in executing the Collector’s demolition order. Is this not a violation of the rule of law? Why is “the MMC hesitant to seal the business premises till date?”
