TEAM HERALD
OLD GOA: A Merces resident has reportedly re-started construction of a septic tank and a soak pit, very close to a PWD water pipeline, on Tuesday, even when he was served stop work order notice by the Merces panchayat a couple of days back.
On receiving information about the same, Merces Sarpanch Walter D’Sousa accompanied by some villagers rushed to the site and directed the owner to demolish the fresh construction.
However, the owner’s sons reportedly tried to confront the villagers over their interference in the matter, thereby ensuing some tense moments, before Old Goa police arrived to diffuse the situation.
The PWD officials also arrived at the scene and raised alarm over the construction coming up in close proximity of the 400 dia mm distribution pipeline, which supplies water to Merces and parts of Santa Cruz.
“If the septic tank and soak pit comes over here, it will definitely lead to contamination in the future,” a PWD official later told media.
The PWD officials then directed the Merces panchayat authorities to file a complaint with them at the earliest so that necessary action could be taken in the matter.
What further aggravated the situation was that the construction was coming up within the highway setback, where development of any nature is not allowed, a fact confirmed by NHAI AE Shambu Malvankar who also made his presence felt at the scene.
“No development can be carried out within the setback of a highway,” Malvankar informed and stated that the NHAI has already sent a notice to the Merces panchayat to act against such illegal constructions.
Speaking to media, Merces Sarpanch Walter D’Sousa said the panchayat had served stop work order notice to the owner on Sunday after receiving a complaint from the villagers.
“However, ignoring the notice, the owner has gone ahead with the construction without any concern for law,” said D’Sousa and blamed the Directorate of Panchayats authorities for encouraging such illegalities by staying demolition notices issued by the panchayat.
“The Merces panchayat has served several demolition notices to the owner and he gets stay from the Directorate of Panchayats and re-starts construction,” D’Sousa added.
When contacted, the owner’s son Ismail Bepari defended the act by stating that he is constructing in his own property. When questioned whether he has obtained permissions from the authorities concerned, he replied in the negative but stated that such illegalities are a common feature in the village and hence he is also doing the same.
Bepari further informed that he is only constructing a septic tank and a soak pit, which were earlier demolished by the deputy Collector. “Earlier, I had constructed the septic tank and the soak pit in comunidade land, which were then demolished by the deputy collector,” Bepari said and saw nothing wrong in constructing it in his own proerty.
