Team Herald
MARGAO: The Cana Benaulim panchayat for reasons best known to it is not acting against an illegal construction undertaken in a property that is in the occupation of “Custodian of Enemy Property” even though the Deputy Director of Panchayats has issued it a show cause notice.
A property in Mazilwado of Benaulim under Survey No 416/4 has been declared to be in occupation by the Custodian of Enemy Property as it was earlier belonging to Carmela de Sa Fernandes who was originally a Pakistani national who was married to a Goan.
Following her death, the property was in the possession of Custodian of Enemy Property as Carmela was originally a Pakistani national.
However, Carmo Fernandes and his wife Vita Fernandes took possession of the property and renovated the house existing therein claiming to be the heirs of said Carmela even though under the Enemy Property Act heirs cannot claim ownership over enemy property.
The Fernandes last year reconstructed a house demolishing the common wall with Mario Brito Fernandes and following complaints lodged by Mario Britto with various agencies, the Block Development Officer issues a memorandum to the Benaulim panchayat secretary in the matter.
On receiving the memorandum from the BDO, the panchayat of Cana Benaulim vide order dated 4th April 2018 issued a stop work order in the names of Carmo and Vita who actually have no right or link with the property.
As Mario Britto kept following the matter, the Deputy Director of Panchayats Fiona Audrey Cardozo on March 27, 2019 issued a show cause notice to the sarpanch asking her to act in the matter within 30 days and asking her to show cause within 30 days why the Deputy Director should not assume the powers of the sarpanch.
The deputy director also cautioned that action would be initiated against the sarpanch under Section 50 of the Panchayat Raj Act that deals with disqualification of the sarpanch.
