MARGAO
Post an LPG cylinder blast at a hotel in the village, the Rumdamol Village panchayat on Monday conducted an anti-encroachment drive on the main road leading to the village.
The team came across structures along the setback and parking areas, besides the shoulder of gutters, raising questions as to whether the Panchayat would crack down only on the actual encroachments on the road and leave the structures on the gutters and setback areas unattended.
In fact, the panchayat Secretary pointed out that the Panchayat had issued notices to the illegal encroachers after an inspection held a month ago. He, however, conceded that the illegal structures and encroachments continued to stay put at the site, issuing an appeal to the public to clear the encroachments on their own or face action.
To a question, the Panchayat Secretary pointed out that Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuemkar had called for a special meeting to deliberate on the encroachments at Rumdamol, saying the meeting, which would be attended by officials of government agencies, would take a call on how to go about clearing the encroachments.
Ruling party member Saimulla Fanibandh also made an appeal to the public to clear the road of encroachments for the smooth movement of vehicular traffic. Saying the issue had figured at the Sunday gram sabha, wherein members demanded action against the encroachments and illegal structures, Saimulla said that though the Panchayat is working for the people of Rumdamol, no one should conduct their business activities on the road.
