OLD GOA
Hitting out at the Chimbel panchayat authorities for issuing a demolition notice to a house belonging to a woman, the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) has alleged that the action is nothing but mere harassment from the panchayat authorities.
Addressing reporters in Panaji on Thursday, RGP leader Ajay Kholkar informed that the tribal widow Archana Kankonkar had got permission to repair her house on March 2, 2023 after which she commenced work for the same. “However, on July 5, 2023, the Chimbel panchayat issued a stop-work notice and directed Kankonkar to produce relevant documents,” Kholkar stated.
“Later, on August 16, the panchayat issued a show cause notice in which it was stated that 'Smt Archana Kankonkar has carried out the construction activity in ward no 10, Gawanth-Chimbel without taking valid permission from this office'.”
“When the Chimbel panchayat itself grants permission for repairs, how come the same panchayat says that no permission has been obtained?” questioned Kholkar while adding that the show cause notice failed to cite violations of the repair permission.
He then informed that immediately, the panchayat issued a demolition order on October 26, 2023 giving the tribal widow 30 days to demolish the same. “The process to issue demolition notice was completed by the panchayat at neck break speed within four months. Further, when the issue of issuing show cause notice came for discussion at the fortnightly meeting, the panchayat secretary clearly stated that Kankonkar has availed repair permission from the panchayat but the panchayat body overruled the said guidance stating that the construction was ground plus one,” Kholkar pointed out while adding that it only shows that the panchayat authorities were hell bent in harassing the tribal widow.
Kholkar further claimed that the action by the panchayat against the tribal widow, who is a voter of ward 10, was done as a political revenge against the RGP ward member.
“Ward 10 is represented by RGP-backed panch Krupa Kankonkar who had filed complaints against illegal structures by migrants and the action against the tribal widow is a fallout of the same,” Kholkar opined.
Kholkar then chided the panchayat for showing undue haste in the matter of the tribal widow while going super slow in illegal constructions by migrants.
“We have filed various complaints with the panchayat pertaining to illegal constructions by migrants, particularly at Indira Nagar, but the panchayat is taking its own sweet time in acting against the same,” he stated.
“In one such construction involving two Indira Nagar panchas, the panchayat has decided to keep the matter in abeyance by overruling the panchayat secretary,” Kholkar added.
Further, Kholkar informed that RGP is not going to be cowed down by such demolition notices and the matter will be challenged before the higher authorities.
“We are going to ensure that justice is served to the tribal widow and get the demolition notice quashed. Also, we are going to ensure that the illegal constructions of the migrants are demolished,” Kholkar stated.
