Exercise for demolition begins, Communidade Administrator serves notices; politicians failed to come to our rescue, shout angry residents
TEAM HERALD
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
MARGAO: Tension prevailed atop Margao’s Moti Dongor and adjoining Talsanzor on Monday as officials of the South Goa Administrator of Communiades set in motion the process to demolish the illegal structures as per High Court directions.
The situation threatened to go out of control around noon after the police took into custody resident of Fatorda, Camilo Barretto, at Talsanzor. Infuriated over the police action, a mob mostly comprising of women gheraoed and blocked the police from taking Camilo to the police station. In the melee, Camilo made good his escape, but the police had to face the angry crowd for their action.
The exercise to serve notices to demolish the illegal structures finally began on Monday morning ~ two days after the High Court deadline to identify and remove the illegal structures from Moti Dongor expired on February 9.
South Goa Administrator of Communidades, Pravin Barad, along with his team of Communidade officials descended atop the hillock to serve the demolition notices.
While Barad led a team to Moti Dongor, another team was deputed to the adjoining Talsanzor. Additional police reinforcements were rushed to Talsanzor hillock to provide protection to the Communidade officials serving notices on the illegal structures identified for demolition. DySP Mohan Naik said the situation is peaceful, adding that no case has been registered against anyone in connection with the commotion at Talsanzor.
Sources said that one person was detained at the Margao police station, but was not arrested till late this evening.
Barad said over 300 households will be issued the notices as per the district Collector’s directions. “We have decided to serve the notices individually. If cases where the parties were not found at the place of residence, the notice was pasted on their door,” he said.
Replying to a question, he said the Communidade staff served notices on around 200 structures, adding that the team would serve the remaining notices on Tuesday.
Agitated over the Communidade action, local residents of Talsanzor demanded to know why the government was sleeping all these years to initiate action against the structures.
They lamented that the politicians have not come to their rescue and wondered why the government has not worked out their rehabilitation before the demolition.
