VASCO
Tense moments prevailed at Kharewaddo-Vasco on Wednesday after extended portions of around 18 houses were demolished as part of a drive against encroachments after a High Court directive in the matter.
Several people came on the road and tried to stop the demolition squad sent by Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC), but the razing continued under police protection.
Sources said that the matter was in court for about 20 years and finally, the extended portions of the houses were demolished on Wednesday morning.
A resident, Kiran, said that around 18 houses had been fighting a case in the High Court and added that the court had given them time till Wednesday evening to clear their own encroachment.
"Our house is 43 sq metres with only 2 metres more than the plan. While we agreed before the court to demolish the additional encroachment, the MMC squad arrived with a JCB and just demolished portions of our house without any measurement.”
“Some houses have now lost much more than the encroached area, while some other houses have lost toilets and bathrooms as well, which were much in the plan. We have small children and women and with no washrooms, what are we supposed to do? We may have to go for open defecation," said Kiran.
Residents complained that the MMC squad was not willing to show the plan or the exact area of encroachment and just used a bulldozer to demolish any portion of the house at random.
"Some members of the squad are trying to misuse the power given to them and are using a JCB on these small cubicles in such a way that while they raze one area, other portions of the house develop cracks. In the end, the entire house will collapse,” the resident stated.
“Authorities must now measure the house after the demolition and show us if our house is still 43 square metres, and also repair the other damaged portions of the house," said Kiran.
Another resident, Anuradha Painguinkar, alleged the demolition was to target houses of the poor, while the rich in the area were spared of similar demolition.
"My house is around 50 years old, and the High Court had ordered us to clear our encroachment. We dismantled the tiles and even cleared our verandah which was extended by around 30 cm. Despite this, the squad arrived with the JCB and told me to get out of the way.”
“But I refused and told them that they could use hammers in case they wanted to clear the additional wall," said Painguinkar.
"We are poor, but in our immediate neighbourhood, there are new and huge bungalows which have even reached the road, but no one has touched them," said Painguinkar.
Former MMC Chairperson Lavina D'Souza said there could be some foul play in the execution of the demolition order.
"It is sad to see houses being demolished in such a manner, and while we respect the court order, they should have informed the people or issued a notice because some poor people have no alternative.”
“I feel the demolition order was to be executed 6 months ago but some politicians kept it on hold and this has been executed after elections. Some encroachments have been demolished in such a way that the entire house is damaged,” said D’Souza.
