PANJIM: A day after the police complaint against the owner’s son, North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) demolished the alleged illegal structure and compound wall of the five-star La Calypso resort in Baga.
NGPDA Chairman Michael Lobo said the demolition was carried out as per the decision taken by the authority. “At a recent meeting of the NGPDA, a decision was taken to remove the illegal shed and compound wall as it’s a blatant illegality and an encroachment on the footpath and road widening area,” Lobo said.
Giving details, Lobo said that the hotel had an illegal shed, which was being used as a kitchen for the 24-hour coffee shop and also housed a pub.
On Tuesday, a complaint against the owners of La Calypso was filed for obstructing government officials from performing their duties.
According to Lobo, the inspection and subsequent demolition was carried out following a complaint against the hotel from the locals that the hotel had blocked the traditional access besides constructing a 400 metre compound wall within 200 metres of high tide line.
Lobo said that many non-Goans who have bought property and built resorts in Calangute have committed a lot of illegalities like blocking traditional access ways to locals, CRZ and other violations with the backing of the local panchayat.
The kitchen staff and members of the resort frantically started removing gas cylinders, tables, furniture, pots, pans and other material as the demolition squad got to work. A large number of policemen from Calangute police station were present along with Bardez Mamlatdar Madhu Narvekar.
Khanna said the demolition was an act of ‘goonda raj’. After the demolition Khanna told reporters, “The MLA, without showing me the demolition order and notice, has come and demolished my property. When I tried to stop him, he manhandled me,” he said.
