CALANGUTE: The Calangute Constituency Forum (CCF) on Monday alleged that a developer in Candolim has carried out an illegal construction activity in Survey Nos. 28/19 and 28/20 at Souza Vaddo, in total violation of the recent High Court order suspending all approvals given as per the outline development plan (ODP).
CCF president Premanand Divkar alleged that mandatory boards depicting TCP permissions and other licences were not displayed, making it difficult to identify as to who was behind the construction.
“When we called the Candolim Panchayat secretary, he said he was not aware of the construction activity,” Divkar charged.
“Whenever a mega project comes up, the village panchayat biodiversity management committee has to conduct an inspection of the property. But the Candolim Biodiversity Committee is inactive because the construction is being carried out by filling a water body which can never be done,” he said.
“The village panchayat should act immediately and direct the violator to remove the mud and restore the pond to its original state within the next 10 days,” CCF president Divkar said.
The locals said they have been complaining to the Candolim panchayat for the last few days when they first noticed the land-filling, but no action has been initiated.
“Now suddenly they’ve filled up the whole pond. I called the Calangute PI, he came, took photos and we haven’t heard from him since,” Sushant Lotlikar, who has agricultural land there said.
However, Candolim sarpanch Blaize Fernandes said they stopped the work after they were informed.
Panchayat member Fermino Fernandes said no construction licence has been taken by the builder.
