Vasco: Acting on the complaints of villagers, Chicalim panchayat demolished carts and kiosks at Assoi Dongri area, on Tuesday morning. The demolision was carried out under heavy heavy police protection.
Joint Mamlatdar Saish Naik, BDO Nicholas Quadros, Sarpanch Seby Periera and Ward Panch Supresh Mayekar were present to supervise the demolition drive.
During the demolition drive, the kiosk and cart owners had a heated verbal exchange wherein they asked why their kiosks and carts are being targetted. But the sarpanch and panch members maintained that the drive was taken up as per law and directives received by the panchayat.
However, the affeted persons have a different story to tell. Stall owner Arjun Naik said, “The Revolutionary Goans are correct in saying that this government is for the goodwill of migrants. The poor Goan is taken to task, whereas the migrants, despite their involved in illegalities, go scot free.”
“We are working hard, but today we are deprived of our livelihood by the authorities who have demolished my stall and I don’t know what to do next,” Naik added.
Another stall owner Sanjay Naik appealed to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to look into the matter save the livelihood of Goans.
He said that he was totally dependent on his stall for his livelihood. He said that since many years he is running the stall but suddenly now the question of survival has arrived. Naik urged the chief minister to intervene in this matter.
When contacted, Sarpanch Sebestiao Periera informed that the panchayat had earlier issued demolition notices to these stall owners. The panchayat had received many complains from the local comunidade, ex-Army officers as well as residents against these stalls. Based on the complains, he said, the panchayat demolished the carts and kiosks.
Pereira further said these kiosks cause congestion and caus inconvenience to students to cross the roads. There were also complaints that illegal activities are being carried out here at night. “After several complaints, we have acted as per law and demolished these stalls,” Periera argued.
Ward Panch Supresh Mayekar said that the kiosks were creating issues for everyone around the area. After selling eatables the waste is dumped in the surrounding.
“At one particular stall there was a practice of consumption of alcohol at night. We had served them notices and demolished them now as per law,” Mayekar said.
