TEAM HERALD
CALANGUTE: Residents of Naika Vaddo, Calangute, have objected strongly to the re-opening of a bar and restaurant in the vicinity.
The locals on Monday called on Calangute MLA Michael Lobo to seek his intervention in the matter. The locals have once again joined hands to force the closure of the bar & restaurant which was asked to shut following an assault on a local by bouncers inside the restaurant premises.
“The restaurant owners have been illegally selling liquor despite excise license being cancelled by the authorities. The owners are now threatening the locals for protesting and seeking closure of the restaurant. We are all united and capable of taking on the goons or bouncers, but we do not want to take the law in our own hands. We only hope that justice would finally prevail,” said a local.
“Last time when we approached Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, he had assured us to close the premises. We don’t want illegal activities in our vicinity and Calangute MLA Lobo and Calangute Panchayat are backing us in our efforts,” added the local.
When contacted, Lobo said, “I fully support the initiative of the locals to force closure of the restaurant involved in many illegal activities. The owners of the restaurant have been involved in prostitution activities in Calangute, Anjuna, Porvorim and Mapusa. The excise license of the restaurant has been cancelled and the chief minister has assured to back the locals on this issue.”
It may be recalled that a couple of months back, a local was assaulted by goons/bouncers allegedly employed by the owners. The locals had petitioned the authorities concerned over the illegal activities, forcing closure of the restaurant. The licenses issued were also revoked by the local and other government bodies. The owners then approached the Directorate of Panchayats for stay over the decision of the local body and were granted temporary relief by the authorities.
