MARGAO
The government seemed to have finally resolved the deadlock over the demolitions of illegal structures dotting the state’s coastline by entrusting the responsibility to the PWD to mobilize the men and machinery to execute the demolition orders.
But, hold on. All major demolitions, including ground-plus one storied, along the coastline, more so along Salcete coastal belt, are likely to be deferred till early next year. Reason: The PWD, Margao has prepared estimates for the floating of tender amounting to Rs 56 lakh to rope in contractors to mobilize heavy specialized machinery to attend to demolition orders passed by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) along Salcete coast.
Given that the PWD has just set the tendering process in motion, the PWD, Margao had written to the district Collector, South to ensure that demolitions of major hotels and structures are not taken up at least for the next 10 months to a year for the reason that the designated contractor will be in place only by December end or early next year.
PWD, Executive Engineer, Prasad Panandikar, who has been now promoted to the Superintending Engineer, South has pointed out that the PWD has prepared estimates amounting to Rs 56 lakh for the appointment of a contractor to provide heavy earth moving machinery, including breakers to raze down ground-plus storied hotels and other structures. “Our estimates in this respect has gone to the head office for administrative approval. After receiving the nod, the PWD will float the tender and seen expenditure sanction from the government. By this time, the mandatory process is completed, it will take around 10 months to a year to cap the process”, he said.
To a question, Panandikar said the PWD has written a letter to the South Goa district Collector to defer all major demolitions in Salcete taluka till December end or January till the tendering process to rope in a contractor to supply the heavy earth moving machinery is completed.
He, however, said the PWD will arrange the required machinery to clear minor encroachments and illegal structures along the beach belt since the job can be executed with light machinery.
The PWD had earlier expressed its inability to execute demolition orders passed by the GCZMA or upon Court orders on the plea that it does not have specialized machinery to raze down the structures. In fact, the district authorities had requested the GCZMA to arrange the heavy machinery departmentally, promising to provide police protection and other logistical support to execute the demolition orders.
Sources, however, informed that the PWD as well as the district authorities have been informed that the PWD will execute the demolition orders and recover the cost of the work from the party in question.
PWD officials in the know pointed out that the PWD have not received the payment from the parties or the authorities, that had requisitioned the demolition, for executing the job of demolition of the illegal structures.
“The PWD had insisted on engaging a special agency to execute demolition orders especially along the coastal belt when the violators includes big hotels and structures. Such demolition exercise needs specialized machinery, which is not in possession of the department”, remarked another PWD official.
The issue had come to the fore last year after the Supreme Court gave the green signal to raze down the multi-storied Hotel Silver Sands, Colva, which was later razed down by the concerned party.
