Team Herald
MARGAO: Fed up with the vague and evasive replies from various departments, the Benaulim locals have now sought Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s intervention to halt the alleged illegal construction of a resort within 150 metres of the high tide line (HTL) and that too in a residential complex in the village.
In their complaint to the CM, they highlighted that the construction is taking place near Maria Hall, in the heart of the village.
They hope the CM will intervene to prevent escalation of what they describe as an unlawful construction project.
H C Pant, a member of the Lotus Hermitage Residents Association, stated that the violations were reported to the panchayat, Urban Development Department, Tourism Department, and CRZ authorities. He said the responses received were vague and evasive.
“Applications under the RTI Act were submitted to these depts, but their replies were either inadequate or irrelevant. We are now compelled to approach the CM to halt this illegal construction, which will cause significant harm to the residents,” Pant said.
He explained that the Lotus Hermitage Complex comprises 166 residential units, most of which are owned by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). In addition, 33 units were sold in 1992 for time-sharing purposes to a Mumbai-based party. Initially, these time-sharing units were used as a hotel, but following numerous complaints from residents about noise and misuse, the management attempted to convert it into a guesthouse in 2013.
Pant claims that the complex’s management has partially demolished the interiors and the front façade of the building, converting it into a full-fledged hotel. Construction work has reportedly been ongoing 24/7, with floodlights being used at night and workers brought in from outside the State, as far as Kolkata.
Despite several complaints over the last eight to nine months, Pant said the situation has worsened, with a few inspectors visiting the site, but no significant action taken. Instead, he claimed that the construction has accelerated in recent months.