OLD GOA
Demolition of illegal structures began at Merces on Friday amid high drama and claims from disgruntled owners that they were not given prior notice. The remaining structures will be taken up for demolition on Saturday.
The Goan has learnt that 50 structures present in 17 properties have been ordered to be demolished.
The drama began in the morning when Mamlatdar Shailendra Dessai along with the demolition team and a police team descended on the site armed with the Collector’s directive for demolition of the structures.
The owners of the properties claimed that they had not received any intimation of the demolition and demanded that they be given time to challenge the order.
The affected parties also showed a copy of the electricity department which gave them 15-days time for disconnection of electricity. The deadline for disconnection ends a week later.
St Cruz MLA Tony Fernandes also arrived at the site and requested the authorities for more time as the owners did not get any intimation. “Also, based on the notice from the electricity department, they were under the impression that demolition will commence after the end of 15 days period,” Fernandes opined.
Deputy Collector Amar Parab, who arrived at the site, explained that under the amended land revenue code, demolition of structures in low-lying areas can be done without intimating the parties concerned. The lawyer of the property owners then sought some time to get a stay on the demolition. However, as time passed and with no sign of the stay order from any authority, the demolition drive commenced.
The Old Goa police led by PI Sudesh Velip ensured no one made attempts to stop the demolition. In the evening, the JCB machine broke down due to which the demolition exercise was halted.
At the end of the day, several structures in only one property were demolished. The demolitions will continue on Saturday. “The demolition drive will continue till all the structures are razed,” an official told The Goan.
One of the property owners, Antonio Pereira, chided the authorities for not serving the demolition notices beforehand. “Our forefathers planted coconut trees and fruit-bearing plants here as the land was not suitable for cultivation due to saline water ingress,” Pereira stated.
“The plantation was undertaken with due permission from the agriculture department.” Another owner, Jose Monteiro, informed that mud dumping was done here by unknown people and complaints to this effect went unanswered. “Now why have they suddenly woken up,” he questioned.
