PANJIM: The State government’s ropeway project worth Rs 157 crore has got caught up in another controversy, with the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) refusing to allow the project in its jurisdiction, claiming that no permission has been obtained from the corporation.
In another decision, CCP resolved not to waive off renewal licence fee of Rs 17.28 lakh for the multi-storey pay parking facility of Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), which has to pay dues amounting to Rs 48 lakh.
Pointing out that soil testing is on, Corporators Ruth Furtado and Soraya Makhija raised questions with regard to the ropeway project during the CCP ordinary meeting on Tuesday, and sought to know whether GTDC obtained CCP’s permission. Responding to their queries, CCP Commissioner Deepak Dessai informed that GTDC has not obtained permission from the civic body and it is not officially aware of any such project.
Mayor Surendra Furtado and his panel then proposed that GTDC be issued a notice directing it not to go ahead with the project and to immediately stop the soil testing work. “CCP is projected as an agency to clean drains and lift garbage… we have no other powers. Government is bypassing us on every development work proposed in Panjim,” Furtado said. “If required, we will approach the Court and get a stay on the project,” he threatened.
While passing all the items listed on the agenda, CCP decided not to pass the proposal to waive off renewal licence charges of Rs 17.28 lakh to GTDC. GTDC last week had decided to pay the renewal charges of Rs 48 lakh to the Corporation, after which CCP would issue an occupancy certificate for the parking project.
In another decision, CCP has directed its engineers to carry out a survey to identify illegal mobile towers. “We will dismantle all the towers and impose Rs 5 lakh fine on telecom companies and Rs 2 lakh on owners of the properties,” the Mayor said.
