MARGAO
The planned demolition of a structure in Cuncolim scheduled on Tuesday as per the direction of the High Court could not take place after the party obtained a stay from the Administrative Tribunal on the demolition order issued by the Cuncolim Municipal Chief Officer.
The bigger question, however, remains unanswered “ when will the Director of Municipal Administration begin a probe as per the High Court directions into the allegations that several single and double storied buildings have been constructed in the jurisdiction of Cuncolim Municipal Council without permissions. The High Court has further directed the Director of Municipal Administration to inquire into allegations about payment of protection money to save illegal structures in the town.
As per the High Court directions, the Cuncolim Municipal Chief Officer John Fernandes had requisitioned the services of the South Goa demolition squad to raze down the structure in question, with the authorities fixing the demolition on Tuesday.
The Chief Officer, however, said the planned demolition could not take place since the party had on Friday last obtained a stay from the Administrative Tribunal on the demolition operation.
The Goan understands that the Director of Municipal Administration is yet to commence his inquiry into the allegations that single and double storied buildings have come up in Cuncolim sans permissions. Sources informed that the DMA has also not visited the Cuncolim Municipal Council till date as part of the inquiry nor has called any civic official or the party that had levelled allegations about payment of protection money.
The DMA has three months time at his disposal to complete the probe and file a compliance report in the High Court.
While disposing of the Public Interest Litigation filed by Green Goa Foundation, the High Court had observed: “Time and again, this Court and the Supreme Court have held that there should be no mercy shown to the illegal constructions. Illegal constructions brazenly carried out inter alia based on “protection money”; certainly should not be protected. Therefore, we fail to understand why this Chief Officer, even after concluding that the fourth respondent’s constructions were illegal had gone ahead and granted the fourth respondent an opportunity for getting illegal structure regularised”.
HC’s directions to DMA
on inquiry into allegations (subhead)
(I)Allegation is about payment of protection money.
(ii) Allegation is about several single and double storied buildings in Cuncolim Municipal jurisdiction which are constructed without any permission from this Council.
*If the allegations turn out true, the HC said then the Council is expected to take action even if there are no complaints made by any party.
*The Director must complete the inquiry within three months and file a compliance report in this Court with a copy to the learned counsel for the petitioner
