the goan I network
MARGAO
Armed with an order passed by the municipal CO Agnelo Fernandes, a municipal team headed by Engineer Vishant Naik and his workers descended at the municipal market on Wednesday morning with gas cutters to raze down the extended portion of the shop.
Heated exchanges ensued between the shop owners and the municipal team, but executive magistrate Manoj Korgaonkar and the police told the owners to allow the workers to execute the Chief officer's order.
The owners tried to maintain the plea that there are encroachments across the city, but the plea had no takers with the municipal team.
Municipal Engineer, Vishant Naik told the media that the municipality had earlier warned the four shop owners that to remove the extended portion of the roof, but in vain. Left with no option, the Chief Officer passed an order directed the workers to clear the encroachments and to raze down the extended portion of the roof.
MMC Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai told The Goan that the Municipality will not come under pressure from the politicos as well as vested interests, saying the drive will continue in the future. "Today, the municipality has made a beginning by clearing the illegal roof and the encroachments and we have send a message that the municipality means business", Babita said, adding that the Civic body will conduct regular anti-encroachments drives to keep the passages and pavements free from encroachments.
