PANJIM: Acting decisively, the Dr Pramod Sawant government early Thursday demolished 17 kiosks situated outside the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, three years after the Panjim Dy Collector and Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) had ordered their demolition.
The demolition was carried out on the basis of 2018 order that found that the vendors had encroached on government land. With this the area outside the hospital has been cleared ensuring smooth flow of traffic, especially of ambulances.
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On hearing the news of the demolition, the vendors and stall owners residing nearby rushed to the spot and pleaded with the authorities not to demolish their structures.
The vendors claimed that the Chief Minister had on Wednesday assured them that the stalls would not be demolished and a decision would be taken in due course of time to relocate them. They appealed to the government to relocate them to an alternative site and not to deprive them of their livelihood especially during the monsoon and since most of them were badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In all 17 kiosks were razed to ground by using a bulldozer and in the presence of large police force, government authorities said.
Sawant said that the space has been identified to relocate only Goan origin vendors and that he has instructed the North Goa Collector to take into confidence GMC officials and to rehabilitate them ensuring that they do not create obstruction to the smooth flow of vehicular traffic particularly for ambulances.
Sawant said the government does not wish to affect the livelihood of the vendors and that they will be accommodated. He also warned that sub-letting of stalls to non-Goans will not be entertained.
Sant Andre MLA Francis Silveira and Santa Cruz MLA Tony Fernandes assured vendors that the government will relocate them. They also stated that only Goan vendors identified by the village panchayat will be rehabilitated and warned that the sarpanch will be held responsible and face disqualification if he/she fails to initiate action against those renting out their kiosks and stalls.
BJP leader Ramrao Wagh claimed said all the stalls and fruit vendors were issued trade licences by the Bambolim-Curca-Talaulim village panchayat and were regularly paying sopo. Besides this, some kiosks were also permitted under the Deendayal Swayam Rojgar Yojana, a self-employment scheme started by the Goa government, he said, demanding their rehabilitation.
The Chief Minister said that fruit vendors will be given an alternate place by Friday, while the stall owners will also be relocated in due course of time. At least 45 of them are local vendors, he said.
Both MLAs claimed that 70 per cent of the stalls were rented out and that they have identified the places for relocation and shown the plan to the Chief Minister. The same will be shared with the Collector and the stalls will be relocated at Bambolim, they said.
