TUESDAY, MAY 07, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Two days after it revoked the technical clearance granted to the alleged illegal structure located in the protected heritage zone at Old Goa, Department of Town and Country Planning (TCP) has directed Old Goa Panchayat to initiate necessary action against the construction.
The village panchayat of Se Old Goa, on Thursday issued a show cause notice to Jose Maria de Gouveia de Pinto, the original owner of the land that the structure stands on, and others, asking why their reconstruction and renewal licence should not be revoked.
In a letter to the Secretary and Sarpanch of the panchayat, Deputy Town Planner SP Surlakar informed that the department on November 30, had revoked the technical clearance granted to Pinto on October 18, 2016.
“Since, the technical clearance stands revoked, you are hereby requested to initiate necessary action against the construction, as provided under the village panchayat Raj Act,” Surlakar said.
The TCP through its order dated November 30, had even stated that construction on the plot in Ella village be stopped immediately.
The technical clearance was sought in the name of Pinto, the erstwhile owner, who sold 2400 sq m of the land to Survarna Lotlikar, wife of former Goa Forward Party treasurer Suraj Lotlikar, and 9,500 sq m to Manish Munot, husband of BJP spokesperson Shaina NC.
Meanwhile Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the government has taken ‘100 per cent’ action in the issue of the illegal construction project in the protected area of Old Goa.
The CM was responding to queries from media persons after he visited the Basilica of Bom Jesus where the feast masses were being held.
He explained that the State government had taken all possible action that they could as per the law. He gave the example of how the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department had written to the Old Goa panchayat asking it to issue a demolition order against the construction project for which the TCP had already issued an order revoking permissions for the same.
Pointing out that TCP had investigated the matter, he said that whatever is left as per the legal order will be done shortly as well.
Emphasizing that no one can break the law, Sawant said the State government, the Central government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have always worked towards maintaining and protecting Old Goa and that it would continue to do the same.
Sawant insisted that the occasion should be about the feast of St Francis Xavier, a feast that is important to the Catholic community and Goans everywhere and he conveyed his wishes to the people.
He said politicians should not try to take political advantage of the situation on such an occasion.
