BICHOLIM: Taking note of the widespread opposition over the five controversial kiosks, the Bicholim Municipal Council (BMC) was on Saturday forced to seal the newly constructed illegal kiosks.
It may be recalled activists led by Naresh Sawal and Naresh Kadkade had accused BMC authorities of giving illegal permission to five businessmen to construct kiosk below the staircase in the parking area.
Reacting to this development, Chief Officer Vivek Naik had clarified that his office had not issued any order for the setting up of five kiosks in the BMC market’s parking area.
Later, based on the statement of chief officer, Sawal and other members had demanded that the municipal authorities inquire into and take action against the illegal kiosks.
Today late evening taking, BMC authorities under the guidance of chief officer sealed the five shops for not obtaining the permission from BMC.
As per the sources the kiosks were constructed by the owners by spending their own money. The BMC chairman had also supported the move of temporary shifting of the kiosks as presently they are under a bridge which will be soon demolished.
Meanwhile, the owners of the five kiosks have complained to the police against unknown persons for locking their kiosks.
According to Bicholim police, kiosk owners Eknath Mandrekar, Kanta Mandrekar, Siddharth Gaonkar, Mohammad Ali Shaikh and Shaikh U S Mohammad have complained against “locking” of their kiosks demanding proper justice.
Later, the kiosk owners told the local reporters that they have constructed the sealed shops with their own cost only after obtaining verbal permission from BMC Chairperson Satish Gaonkar and that they constructed only after Gaonkar told them that the entire area below the staircase would be demolished along with the with the staircase since it was in a dilapidated condition.
