CANACONA
Acting on a court directive, Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) sealed a tourism establishment which was operating without necessary licences at Patnem-Canacona.
Taking a strong view on mushrooming of illegal structures in the No Development Zone, the High Court had directed the Canacona Mamlatdar and CMC to immediately seal the structures to prevent their any use in whatsoever manner and also passed a restraining order to the persons associated with the structure from carrying out any commercial activities in the structures.
Following the directives, CMC Chief Officer Madhu Narvekar along with the municipal engineer and municipal inspector proceeded to the illegally operating structure at Patnem and affixed locks to complete the ‘property-seal’ process of the premises.
When contacted, CMC Chairperson Ramakant Naikgaunkar confirmed that the tourism structures had not been issued with any permission by the CMC, but the owners continued with the tourism trade/activities.
Earlier, the electricity department had also cut-off an illegally tapped power connection to the said tourism establishments.
According to Canacona Assistant Engineer Govind Bhat, the department’s vigilance team had found that power supply was tapped from a residential house connection (domestic connection) to the property, which was later disconnected and power supply was stopped.
The High Court directives came following a writ petition filed by one Arvind Sinai Nagarsenkar. Besides operating the establishments without necessary permits and licences, the respondents were also accused of illegally tapping electricity and making water provisions to conduct tourism businesses in the structures.
