An unusual tussle is taking place between lawmakers and law enforcement agencies in Anjuna, with Anjuna panchayat accusing the Anjuna police of being uncooperative and the Anjuna Police hitting back at the panchayat for involving the police in petty issues around the village.
Incidentally, the latest dispute between the Anjuna panchayat and Anjuna police has erupted over the controversial construction of an Anjuna panch member from the opposition group.
“The Anjuna police is not cooperating with us to avoid any law and order situation that may arise when we conduct site inspections of illegal construction,” complains Anjuna Deputy Sarpanch Savio Almeida.
“Even though the panchayat has obtained an order from the Director of Panchyat (DoP) seeking police protection, Anjuna PI Paresh Naik refuses to provide us with police protection. In one incident, PI Naik first told us to get the BDO order and we got it, he then told us to get the DoP order. And when we obtained the DoP order, he now tells us to get a court order. He keeps giving us lame excuses.”
“Panch Sandeep Chimulkar had an old house of barely 28 sq mtrs and he had applied for a repair license, which was valid for only six months. Now, he has built, and continues to build, a double-storeyed villa on around 90 meters of land. The High Court has also ordered a stay of any more construction in the property and has directed the Anjuna police to maintain status quo,” said Almeida.
Anjuna Sarpanch Pratibha Govekar said she had informed the panchayat members that she is unable to undertake a site inspection due to non-cooperation by police as well as Chimulkar, who is accused of carrying out the illegal construction on agricultural land.
“The panchayat passed a resolution at our last meeting on January 31, stating that Chimulkar has repeatedly prevented us from conducting a site inspection of his construction, despite a DoP order. PI Naik has not given us police protection to break open the lock on the gate and the panchayat has now filed a writ petition in the High Court. Hopefully, we shall obtain a court order to carry out the inspection,” said Govekar.
Chimulkar has, however, denied any illegal construction on his property. “I have not received any inspection notice from the panchayat and besides, this double-storeyed house is 25 years old and it is in my daughter’s name. Why is the Panchayat not sending notices in my daughter’s name? There are many complaints of illegal constructions in the village and the panchayat should also focus on them, instead of merely troubling my daughter and me over our legal construction,” said Chimulkar.
When contacted, Anjuna PI Paresh Naik defended the actions of the Anjuna police. “The DoP order was issued in September 2013 and whenever the panchayat approached the police station for protection, there was no date or time for the police protection to be sought,” said PI Naik.
“Secondly, the panchayat wanted police protection when there was an acute shortage of police staff during the hectic season, which included the Sunburn festival, India Bike Week, Lusofonia Games, the Christmas and New Year season.”
“I have been informed that the house owner has locked the gate. Until I get specific orders from authorities concerned, I cannot provide police protection for trespass into the property.”
“The panchayat has to solve their petty issues, but they keep coming to the police station for these issues, which cannot be resolved among themselves. We cannot be only preoccupied with their issues as we also have to maintain law and order elsewhere in our jurisdiction,” said PI Naik.
Even though the panchayat has obtained an order from the Director of Panchyat (DoP) seeking police protection, Anjuna PI Paresh Naik refuses to provide us with police protection. In one incident, PI Naik first told us to get the BDO order and we got it, he then told us to get the DoP order. And when we obtained the DoP order, he now tells us to get a court order. He keeps giving us lame excuses. The High Court has also ordered a stay of any more construction in the property and has directed the Anjuna police to maintain status quo. The panchayat is unable to undertake a site inspection due to non-cooperation by police
The DoP order was issued in September 2013 and whenever the panchayat approached the police station for protection, there was no date or time for the police protection sought. Secondly, the panchayat wanted police protection when there was an acute shortage of police staff during the hectic season, which included the Sunburn festival, India Bike Week, Lusofonia Games, the Christmas and New Year season. I have been informed that the house owner has locked the gate. Until I get specific orders from authorities concerned, I cannot provide police protection for trespass into the property
