PANAJI
The Old Goa structure case continues to drag as the Additional Director of Panchayats (ADP) adjourned the matter at the nth hour, leaving the intervenors disappointed.
The hearing on Wednesday was supposed to take up the written as well as oral arguments on the intervening applications of three parties, Save Old Goa Action Committee (SOGAC), Adv Amit Palekar and Golda Almeida & others.
When all the intervenors appeared at the court of the ADP, they were shocked to find a notice pasted outside that all matters of Wednesday have been adjourned with the Old Goa structure matter posted for September 20.
Speaking to The Goan, Adv Palekar termed it as a deliberate act on part of the government to delay the matter.
“How come the ADP was called to the Secretariat when such an important matter was to be taken up to decide on the plea of the intervenors? I say that the only reason for such unnecessary delay is that the government wants to deliberately delay the matter.”
When questioned whether he was informed beforehand on the adjournment, Palekar said, “We were told that the ADP was not available when we went there.”
Save Old Goa Action Committee treasurer Hugo Gonsalves, who was present for the hearing, expressed disappointment over the last moment adjournment as he said that it was only when they reached the office of the ADP that they were informed that the matter has been adjourned.
Meanwhile, NGO Goyche Fudle Pilge Khatir who have some of their members as intervenors also expressed disappointment over not getting 'tarik pe tarik' in the matter.
Addressing reporters, President Jack Mascarenhas said they came to know of the adjournment only when they reached the office of ADP.
“If they had told us in advance that the matter would be adjourned, we would not have to come all the way from Margao, Candolim and other areas,” Mascarenhas said.
