It has been two decades since the gadda owners have been displaced and the Cuncolim Municipal Council (CMC) till date is yet to follow to the High Court directive to rehabilitate them to a new location.
The displaced kiosk owners, who have been waiting to get themselves rehabilitated to a new location, have accused the civic body of giving permission to new kiosks in the town.
It may be recalled that the Panjim Bench of the Bombay High Court at Goa had ordered the removal of all gaddas, which were obstructing the smooth movement of pedestrians. Acting on the High Court order, the Cuncolim Municipal Council (CMC) had removed around eight gaddas in the Cuncolim market.
The High Court had also directed the civic body to rehabilitate the affected gadda owners to a new location. However, till date the CMC has failed to rehabilitate these gadda owners, who had lost their business on account of the High Court order.
Cuncolim youth namely Shanta Dessai and Madhukar Naik who were running their business in their gaddas were also affected due to the High Court order and the CMC is yet to rehabilitate them.
During the erstwhile Congress regime, former Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao, representing the Cuncolim constituency had constructed a market Complex in Cuncolim to rehabilitate these affected gadda owners but to their displeasure the same could not materialise.
Later, under the then BJP rule, former MLA Rajan Naik had planned a unique parking lot at the Cuncolim market for all gaddas at one place including the ones that were displaced. Unfortunately, this project too failed.
Since the last two decades, the displaced gadda owners have been running from pillar to post making several requests to the civic body and the local MLA including the Chief Minister to look into the matter but till date their requests have fallen on deaf ears.
“No one is interested in solving the poor people’s woes. They are not serious in following the High Court directive by rehabilitating us. Since last twenty years, we have made several applications and petitions but to no avail, said a gadda owner, who is awaiting rehabilitation.
Fed up with the council’s false promises, Madhukar Naik, a displaced gadda owner who is awaiting rehabilitation said, “The Cuncolim Municipal Council (CMC) has failed to take action against the illegalities in the town but was quick in demolishing my gadda.”
The displaced gadda owners alleged that the council members have been allowing their supporters to install illegal gaddas in the Cuncolim market. They further accused the council of patronising an illegal gadda in the parking lot at the Cuncolim bus stand. A gadda selling vegetable has been installed near the power transformer in the KTC parking lot. Why is the council not acting against this illegal gadda, the displaced gadda owners asked.
When asked to throw light on the issue, CMC Vice Chairperson Sashank Dessai said, “The Council has planned to install all gaddas near the parking lot. The Council will not allow any illegal gaddas in Cuncolim.”
However, an official speaking on the condition of anonymity said the rehabilitation issue is an old issue and the council has no proper plan to rehabilitate the displaced gadda owners.
