Team Herald
MARGAO: Inspecting the illegal constructions and land filling at Tolleaband near Khareband, Benaulim Sarpanch Diella Fernandes along with four panchayat members on Wednesday said that a stop work order was issued earlier and that the panchayat will now take more stringent action.
Following a complaint by Amchem Goem, Amcho Lok, the panchayat members along with the secretary came to inspect the land that is covered by a green net fence on the road side apparently to block the view of the illegal construction being carried out inside.
The four panchayat members who were present included the Deputy Sarpanch Menino Fernandes, ward representatives Felicia Noronha, Xavier Pereira, and John Albuquerque. They all asserted that the panchayat had not given any permission for any construction there.
What was evident was the one structure with two rolling shutters has already been completed and another structure with two rooms is under construction. Besides there is a septic tank dug and another structure that could probably be the toilet.
The owner of the land Nutan Malkanekar was served notice by the panchayat to attend the inspection but preferred to stay away. The panchayat disclosed that in February following another inspection, a stop work order was issued for the structure under construction and a show cause notice was issued regarding the completed structure.
Sarpanch disclosed that the land owner has not bothered to reply to the show cause notice and further admitted that she has not complied with the stop work order as the septic tank is nearly complete and the other structure is nearing completion.
She said another show cause notice will be issued to the owner with regards to the work that has been carried out and added that the panchayat will write to the Collector to demolish the illegal structure that has been constructed.
Amchem Goem, Amcho Lok also asked the panchayat to demolish the other structures there including the huge storeroom with a plastic baling machine, laundry and the cement brick making equipment. They also demanded immediate closure of the scarpyard operating in the adjacent property.
Amchem Goem, Amcho Lok president Felix Dias pointed out that the land was illegally filled up to construct the structures and also showed the panchayat where the filling has been done to reclaim low lying catchment areas.
“There would be floods if these catchment areas are filled up,” he said and retorted that the panchayat should not wait for somebody to complain to it but must be pro-active and see what illegalities are being carried out in its area.
The Sarpanch assured to write to the Collector to demarcate the area to find out how much encroachment has been done. When asked why the owner did not remove the net fencing as promised at the earlier inspection, the panchayat responded that the owner insisted that the fencing was put to stop people from throwing garbage in the property.
