MAPUSA
With the arrest of the alleged accused in the sexual assault of a four-year-old girl, the Mapusa police have now sought the sealing of the abandoned Dempo Mansion building, where the crime allegedly took place, bringing the issue of unsafe and neglected structures in the heart of the town back into focus.
Mapusa Police Inspector Anant Gaonkar told The Goan that police have written to Mapusa Municipal Council Chief Officer Kaushik Desai, seeking the sealing of the building and details regarding its ownership and status.
The police have also sought information from the civic body about the building as part of the follow-up to the incident.
However, sealing or securing such buildings may not be straightforward, with the municipality facing legal and procedural hurdles in acting against structures declared unsafe.
Chief Officer Kaushik Desai said there was no uniform solution to dealing with abandoned and dilapidated buildings, as several cases involved tenants and shopkeepers whose interests had to be considered before enforcement action could be taken.
Desai said the municipality had conducted a survey before the monsoon and issued notices to owners of buildings identified as unsafe. However, in certain cases, affected parties had approached the tribunal and obtained stays against the Chief Officer's orders, delaying further action.
He cited the Safari building opposite the old municipality as one such case, where a stay had been obtained and the municipality was pursuing steps to have it vacated.
In other cases, tenants have filed objections against sealing or demolition, with some even offering to undertake structural repairs at their own expense. This creates a complicated situation, particularly when building owners want the structures demolished while tenants seek permission to repair and continue occupying the premises.
Desai said the municipality had been holding regular hearings and giving short dates in such matters to expedite decisions, while ensuring that due legal procedure was followed.
In some instances, the civic body had also sought disconnection of electricity connections as part of its action against unsafe premises.
Regarding Dempo Mansion, Desai confirmed that proceedings were already underway before the municipality, with hearings having been held before the incident.
The owners and tenants had been asked to furnish relevant reports, he said.
The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability posed by abandoned and dilapidated structures in prime locations of Mapusa, raising questions over how such premises can be secured before they become sites of criminal activity or pose a threat to public safety.
