Captured by : CMC meet
Illegal shack to be demolished today
Defaulter owes municipal council Rs 5.5 lakh
Only 45 licences given while 150 shacks and huts operate along the coast
Development work still goes on at Konko Island
CMC vows to fight illegalities along coast
To demolish shack at Palolem beach entrance today
CANACONA
Councillors at Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) cornered the municipal administration for its inaction on illegalities along the coast, with the chief officer responding by threatening to demolish a private shack illegally functioning at the Palolem main beach entrance.
When the issue was raised at a council meeting on Tuesday, CMC Chief officer Chandrakant Shetkar brought out a file pertaining to a defaulter of a private shack.
“The shack is illegally functioning in municipal property earmarked for parking on the right-hand side of Palolem main beach entrance. The shack operators is also a defaulter and owes the CMC Rs 5.5 lakh,” stated Shetkar.
All councillors then rose in one voice to demand immediate action against the illegally operating shack in municipal property. Shetkar then stated that the shack would be demolished on Wednesday itself.
The chief officer then informed the councillors that only 45 had obtained licences, while over 150 shacks/huts were functioning along the municipal coast. The councillors then demanded strict action on all those shacks/seasonal structures functioning without CMC licences.
Shetkar informed that he had already written to the electricity department to disconnect power connections to those shacks without a valid licence from the CMC.
Some councilors also took the chief officer to task for failing to stop illegal works, while other councillors claimed that development work was going on in full swing on the eco-sensitive Konko Island.
“CMC had passed a resolution and a stop work order was also issued by CMC. Why is the CMC not demolishing the illegal works on Konko Island? Instead of stopping the activity, construction work is underway in full swing,” said Palolem councillor Dayanand Pagi.
One councillor then pointed out that there was even a Supreme Court directive on not permitting any activity on Konko Island.
Shetkar claimed ignorance in the matter and summoned a staff employee, only to be informed that there had been a notice from the apex court, with the CMC being made a party in the case, stating that no developmental activities of any sort would be permitted on Konko Island.
The chief officer then assured the councillors that he would examine the order.
Councillor Kishore Shet raised the issue of chicken and mutton shops operating in municipal areas, claiming that these outlets were illegal and did not follow hygienic procedures.
“The CMC should shut down these chicken and mutton shops with immediate effect,” insisted Shet.
The council also decided to levy garbage tax on wedding halls, especially on a starred hotel in the municipal jurisdiction.
“We find much of the garbage is being generated during the weddings conducted in a fancy manner,” claimed a councillor while justifying the demand.
The councillors also resolved to allot market place to the probable vendors on the basis of caste, class and other categories.
The CMC resolved to allot plots in the new vegetable and fruits market for vendors belonging to ST, SC, OBC, self help groups, handicapped and similar categories, in a bid to eliminate the powerful people to obtain the plots and sublet it to others.
