Several illegal seasonal structures have erupted overnightin the coastal areas of Canacona. Shack owners and others in Palolem, Patnemand Columb beaches have erected sturctures without obtaining the requiredlicences from concerned authorities.
According to Ajay Fal Desai, an engineer of Canaconamunicipality, seasonal licenses were issued to only four structures till now,as per NOCs issued by the tourism department.
“I do not know from where and how they got electricityconnection, without the approval from CMC, tourism department, fire andemergency services and excise department etc,” Fal Desai said.
“Around 180 applications were received in the office. Someof them are without proper documentation like NOCs from municipality, CRZ andtourism department etc,” said Ashok Padwalkar, assistant engineer atelectricity department in Canacona.
Junior Engineer,Gopalkrishna Bhat who is in charge of issuing NOCs to seasonal structures saidthat only four NOCs were issued so far and scrutiny of applications were goingon. But he failed to give a satisfactory answer as to how illegal structuresgot electricity connection.
If the power department has issued connection to only fourstructures, then how have others managed to get a connection?
Sources have disclosed that people living in the coastalbelt extend their power connection for commercial use keeping the authoritiesin the dark.
Some owners of the structures have taken electricityconnection directly from the electrical poles and some from their homes.Surprisingly the electricity department has been mum to these blatant illegalactivities.
The illegal structures include kiosks, huts, tents, shacksand massage parlours.
“Most of these people have paid hefty sums to a fewcouncilors and other elected representatives and enjoy their patronage,”alleged Shantaram Bhagat, a social worker from Bhagatwada.
The elected representatives in Canancona municipality on theother hand have sought to pass the buck to Goa Coastal Zone ManagementAuthority (GCZMA).
Sources in Canacona municipality informed that the GoaCoastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) played a vital role in regulatingdevelopmental activities along the coast. Despite this some permanentstructures have mushroomed at different parts of the Canacona coastal municipalareas.
