Social activist Nazir Khan pointing at the debris dumped on the footpath at Vasco for the last two months.
THE GOAN NETWORK
VASCO
Vasco-based social activist Nazir Khan on Thursday raised strong objections to ongoing construction work allegedly being carried out by the defence forces in the heart of the port town without securing mandatory approvals from local authorities.
Khan alleged that the construction, underway on a 2,371 sq metre property had not received permissions from the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) or any other relevant state bodies. He also accused the contractor of cutting down several trees on the site and dumping the debris on the public footpath for over two months.
"This property was vacant all this time, and suddenly the defence forces have started construction without any permissions from the PDA, MMC, or other state departments like health, electricity, and PWD. If any local builder attempted this, work would have been immediately stopped," Khan said.
He further criticised the authorities for turning a blind eye.
"The Navy has cut trees without permission and dumped them on the footpath, forcing pedestrians onto the road. Despite this, neither the MMC has acted, nor has the debris been cleared, even with the Damodar Saptah festival approaching. MMC should have taken strong action, including cutting water and power supply, instead of simply requesting them to halt work," he added.
Khan accused central government agencies like the Navy, Mormugao Port Authority (MPA), and Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) of "blatant dadagiri" and bypassing local laws.
"As per the new TCP rules, even government or semi-government bodies must obtain permissions from the PDA and municipal bodies. But this is not happening," he said.
Responding to the allegations, MMC Chairperson Girish Borker confirmed that the municipal council had carried out two inspections at the site and questioned the ongoing construction.
"We met the officer in charge and pointed out that the construction had started without any approvals from the MMC. They informed us that the work is being done under the defence ministry, with their office based in Panaji, and claimed that central government projects do not require state-level permissions," Borker said.
He added that MMC has officially communicated its concerns.
"We’ve written to higher authorities about the issue. The Navy informed us that a ground plus two-floor office is being constructed. We’ve also directed them to clear the debris at their own cost, and they’ve asked for a week's time to do so," Borker stated.
