MAPUSA
Calangute Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira has written to Collector North to provide police protection for removal of the illegal structures/huts/stalls, initiating the process to remove over 100 illegal shanties in the beach village.
The panchayat body in its fortnightly meeting on September 11 had resolved to remove all illegal businesses in the village and accordingly decided to write to the collector for police protection for removal of the illegal structures.
“There are more than 100 such illegal shanties in our village. We have written to the Collector, North seeking police protection to take action against the illegalities. As soon as we get police protection we will initiate action against these shanties,” Sequeira told The Goan.
Last month the panchayat in a public notice had directed the owners/operators of such illegal structures to remove the huts/stalls failing which action would be taken and the shanties would be removed through the panchayat demolition squad.
The sarpanch had cited the order of the High Court and Sections 66 and 100 of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act 1994 for removal of the illegal structures.
He said business activities were being carried out in these illegal structures without any details of the owners or operators and in some cases the owners were neither known nor traceable.
According to the panchayat, such illegal structures were erected at various places at Khobravaddo, Porbavaddo and Agarvaddo in open places, streets and road widening areas.
In a related development, the Calangute panchayat had also issued show cause notice to one of the owners M/s Josephine D’Souza for allowing construction of illegal shanties in her property at Agarvaddo without obtaining permission from competent authorities.
Responding to the show cause notice, the owner has said she was ready to cooperate with the local body to make Calangute shanty-free but requested for a time period of two months to clear the shanties in her property.
“I request for a time period of two months so that my tenants can relocate with their families. Within this period I will make certain that every illegal shanty/hut is removed,” the owner said.
It may be recalled, last month a major fire had destroyed more than 50 shanties/huts occupied by migrants in the same property at Agarvaddo.
