CUNCOLIM: Even as Cuncolim Municipal Council on Wednesday demolished the illegally constructed protective wall around a well in grazing land outside the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, people have demanded that the open well be closed to protect the lives of grazing cattle.
Cuncolim Municipal Council had ordered the demolition of a compound wall and protective wall around a well constructed by Quality Exports following complaints from locals against this illegality.
The municipality received complaints against the illegal constructions from Aviraj Dessai from Bhateim and Adv Patrick Monteiro from Voddi, following which it had issued a show cause notice to Quality Exports, who in reply sought time to produce documents, but failed to do so.
In fact, the municipality issued a show cause notice to the company on March 10, 2023 in reply to which the company sought time to produce relevant documents, which it failed to do.
Then on April 3, 2023 the company was issued another show cause notice, following which a transgression report with a demolition order was issued on May 9, 2023. Aggrieved by this demolition order, the company appealed before the Goa Municipalities Appellate Tribunal.
The company argued that they had carried out the construction in land that they had taken on lease from Sociedade de Agricola de Gauncaris Cuncolim e Veroda.
However the Tribunal dismissed the appeal on January 19, 2024 following which the demolition was carried out today under the supervision of Junior Engineer.
While expressing happiness over the demolition, Aviraj the person who had initially complained against the illegality, urged the authorities to close the open well.
“This is an open grazing ground and large number of cattle come here. As the well is open now with no protection wall, the grazing animal can fall in the well and diem,” he said.
