PONDA: After a six year long battle, the Kavlem Village Panchayat on Thursday demolished seven illegal structures/scrapyards in Dhavali.
BDO Ashwin Naik, Kavlem Sarpanch Manuja Naik, Deputy Sarpanch Sushant Kapileshwarkar and panchayat members were present during the day long demolition process. Police personnel too were present to maintain law and order.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa in its recent order in August 2023 had directed the Kavlem Panchayat to demolish the seven illegal scrapyards at Dhavali within three months.
It may be recalled that based on a complaint filed by Gopalkrishna Dhavlikar and others to the BDO, the Kavlem Panchayat had conducted inspection of seven illegal scrapyards in Survey No 26/1 in 2017 which were given on rent for commercial purpose. The panchayat had ordered demolition of said structures but the owner had challenged it in various courts.
Further the Additional Director of Panchayat upholding Panchayat demolition order and District Court upholding Additional Director Order in 2020 was challenged by Kashinath Gaude in the High Court. Two months ago, the HC had given the order to demolish the seven structures within three months. Accordingly the panchayat demolished the structures in the presence of government authorities and police.
The panchayat had claimed that the structures were erected without permission from any authorities.
Sarpanch Manuja Naik said Kavlem villagers used to repeatedly express grave concern over the illegal scrapyards operating in the Kavlem village panchayat jurisdiction and demanded to clear the nuisance from the village. Accordingly they were cleared on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Kavlem Deputy Sarpanch Sushant Kapileshwarkar said the Kavlem Panchayat had also filed petition in Deputy Collector Court for demolition of around another 11 illegal scrapyard structures.
