MAPUSA: The Calangute panchayat stopped the construction of a commercial establishment on a field in front of St Alex Church, on Wednesday.
The panchayat members said that construction licence was issued by the North Goa Planning Development Authority (NGPDA) without verifying the ownership documents. The land on which the construction is coming is owned by the Calangute Comunidade, they said.
Initially, a shed was erected after carrying out land filling; electricity connection was also released to the structure, however, without NOC from the panchayat.
On Wednesday, when Sarpanch Anthony Menezes and other panchas inspected the place, the person undertaking the construction showed them the licence issued to him by NGPDA. On perusing the licence, the sarpanch learned that land had been converted to commercial zone and the construction licence has three years validity.
Angry that the panchayat has been bypassed, Menezes threatened to resign as sarpanch if the licence is not revoked.
