MAPUSA
Backed by a resolution unanimously passed by the Calangute panchayat body, Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira on Monday said the installation of life-sized statue of Shivaji Maharaj on a Major District Road in the village was “illegal” and directed the authorities to “remove” it.
In a letter addressed to Shivswarajya Calangute, PWD executive engineer and the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), the panchayat issued a direction to remove the statue within 10 days, failing which panchayat will take further action to remove it.
The panchayat resolution states that a group of people under the banner of Shivswarajya Calangute had written a letter on May 2 proposing to install the statue at the Saligao-Calangute road.
“However, no permission was obtained from any authority. Even the Calangute panchayat had not granted any permission as the panchayat wanted to install a high mast pole at the cross junction,” the panchayat resolution signed by the secretary said.
Quoting a Supreme Court judgement between Union of India v/s State of Gujarat and others in connection with SLP No 8519/2006, the panchayat resolution said “such statues or structures cannot be installed in the middle of the road which applies to all States and union territories.”
After discussing the issue in its fortnightly meeting, the panchayat body concluded that the SC order was violated as no permission was obtained from PWD, TCP, Collector or the village panchayat under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act.
“Hence it (the installation of statue) is completely illegal, in violation of all the laws, criminal offence as well as in violation of order of SC which amounts to contempt of the court,” the resolution said.
The panchayat also opined that if the statue was retained at the location, then any anti-social elements may damage the same in future and it will lead to fights and breach of peace in the village.
The panchayat body then unanimously resolved to direct Shivswarajya Calangute and relevant government departments to remove the statue immediately within ten days.
