PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed removal of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that was allegedly erected illegally on the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) property at Headland Sada.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the Court directed the MPA to carry out dismantling, remove the statue, and undertake beautification work to restore the land to its original condition.
The Court observed that "there is a complete failure of the executive structure in South Goa District and in Mormugao Taluka in relation to the incident.
The Court also issued notice to Mormugao BJP MLA Sankalp Amonkar, who is said to have been instrumental in the installation of the statue. Amonkar has been made a party to the petition as per the request of the petitioner -- MPA.
The MPA had approached the High Court in February, filing a writ petition seeking immediate removal of the statue installed at Sada junction near the market complex in Vasco da Gama. Despite objections raised by the port authority, locals and supporters of the MLA proceeded with the installation.
The Court has directed the South Goa District Collector and Superintendent of Police to ensure adequate security during the removal process to maintain law and order. The matter has been posted for further hearing on May 4.
In its petition, the MPA stated that unidentified persons continued activities such as ground levelling and site clearing around the statue despite repeated complaints. The authority argued that the land falls under “public premises” as defined by the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971, making the encroachment a cognizable offence.
The installation of the statue had triggered tension in Mormugao, with supporters of the MLA criticising the port authority for opposing the move.
