As politics over the garden adjoining the ‘New Shalom Housing Society’ in Miramar gets murkier, the biggest irony is that City Corporation of Panaji is oblivious that the government-owned property is developed by itself.
Herald has the letter of the former Commissioner of the City of Corporation of Panjim (CCP) Melvyn Vaz that clearly indicates the garden is developed by CCP, which ultimately means it is a public property. The letter, written to the to the Shalom Residents Association Chairman way back on August 24 2011, by then Commissioner Melvyn Vaz was surprisingly not in the know of the former CCP Mayor Surendra Furtado or present Commissioner Ajit Roy.
Vaz’s letter had asked the association to ensure the garden area is not misused by some of its residents. “There is a garden developed by the CCP in the government-owned land on the Miramar-Dona Paula road, adjoining the Shalom residential building. Like all other gardens, the said area is intended to serve as an area for walking and sitting and partially as a child play area which is filled with sand and which is being used by kids for playing on the swings,” it said.
The CCP, pointing at the illegality, maintained that it is not intended to play sports like cricket because there are chances of injuring small children or aged people using the area. “This office is in receipt of a complaint that the said area is misused by some of the residents of your building. As such you are requested to inform the residents to refrain from playing cricket in the garden area. It is expected that all residents of your building and visitors to the garden will obey the rules relating to the garden usage,” Vaz said indicating the illegality was reported since last many years.
While Herald had first reported on this and asked then Surendra Furtado, he had said “I don’t know whether the garden belongs to CCP, you may please ask the Commissioner.”
On the other hand, the sitting Commissioner, Ajit Roy who is over six-month-old in the CCP, had said, “As of now we are trying to find out whether the garden belongs to the CCP or not.” He should have merely checked at a letter written by his predecessor sitting on the same chair.
These comments come despite even former Commissioner of CCP Dipak Desai clearly stating the garden belongs to the Corporation. He had then assured that a board will be displayed mentioning the garden belongs to CCP, but the recently erected green colour permanent metal fencing displays ‘Shalom’ on the fence. Herald tried contacting the present Mayor Vitthal Chopdekar but he remained unavailable for comments.
CCP is mired in controversy for giving the control of public garden to the adjacent housing society.
Sachit Mauskar, on behalf, of a local resident had written to North Goa Collector seeking an investigation, following which an inquiry through the Tiswadi Mamlatdar was directed.
