MARGAO
Residents of Dongorim-Navelim marched to the office of the Deputy Town Planner, Town and Country Planning Office, Margao after a planned joint inspection at Dongorim was suddenly postponed on the plea that the builder’s mother is indisposed and admitted to the hospital.
Suspecting foul play, residents led by activist Pratima Coutinho, who had been anxiously waiting for TCP officials to arrive for the joint inspection, marched to the TCP office in Margao and staged a protest. They raised slogans against the TCP officials for trying to delay the inspection to protect the interests of the builder.
Coutinho and the local residents of Dongorim demanded to know whether the illness of the builder’s mother is a valid reason for the postponement of the joint inspection. “As per the notice issued by the TCP, the local residents were all present at the site. Navelim Sarpanch Paul Pereira also came for the inspection as per the schedule. However, the TCP team was conspicuous by their absence,” she said.
After being informed by the TCP office that the inspection has been postponed to August 4, the residents headed to Margao, only to find the Deputy Town Planner Bandodkar absent. “This is the fourth time that the TCP officials are dragging their feet in conducting the joint inspection. This only goes to show that the officials of various government agencies are under political pressure,” she said.
While rejecting the August 4 inspection date given by the TCP office, the local residents have demanded that the inspection be conducted within a week’s time.
