MAPUSA
An illegal structure built within 200 metres of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) coming under No Development Zone (NDZ) on Calangute beach was finally razed to the ground on Monday.
The structure belonging to a Delhi-based businessman Rajeev Arora was built very close to the iconic Souza Lobo restaurant and did not have the mandatory permissions of the local panchayat.
Around two years ago, the Calangute panchayat passed an order to demolish the illegal structure. The owner then appealed against the order before the Director of Panchayat but failed to get a stay in the case.
Calangute Panchayat Secretary Arjun Velip informed that the Director of Panchayat had dismissed the case.
“The owners of the structure had failed to take necessary permission from the panchayat. Besides, it was built in the NDZ area. The Calangute panchayat recently passed a resolution to demolish the structure and accordingly we applied for a demolition squad and carried out the demolition,” Velip said.
The entire structure was razed to the ground as the demolition which started from morning ended late in the evening.
The Souza Lobo restaurant was attacked at least twice in the last one year and the owner Jude Lobo had accused the Delhi-based businessman of orchestrating the attacks allegedly to take over his restaurant.
Lobo had also alleged that Arora had hired some local goons to carry out the attacks in order to threaten him.
“The credit for demolition of the structure goes to the Calangute Panchayat and Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira. The order for demolition of the structure was passed around two years back but for reasons best known to the earlier panchayat, the demolition was not carried out,” Lobo told The Goan.
