Team Herald
PERNEM: The Directorate of Panchayats (DoP) on Friday passed an order issuing ex-parte stay on the show cause-cum-stop work order notice that Warkhand Nagzar village panchayat had issued on the ongoing work of Mopa link road on February 24th.
The order was passed after the DoP heard the appeal filed by the project contractor Ashoka Buildcon Ltd under section 66 (7) of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act 1994 against the stop work order that Warkhand Nagzar village panchayat had issued to the contractor.
The appeal was filed on grounds that the land for construction of link road to Mopa Airport Road from Sukekulam was a National Highway (NH-166-S) and the same was acquired by Government by India under the National Highway Act 1956.
Further the acquired land is a Government of India property and the Warkhand Nagzar Panchayat has no jurisdiction over the said land. Ashoka Buildcon Ltd has been awarded the work of construction of the said road by Government of India and the Green field Mopa Airport is due for inauguration on this Independence Day.
Hence the said road has to be completed before the scheduled date.
“Section 244-A of the Goa Panchayats Raj Act,1994 permits the Government to exercise any of the function on the subjects enumerated in Schedule – I and II of the Act for the purpose of carrying out any developmental work in the jurisdiction of panchayats which includes construction of roads. Hence the stop work order dated February 24 is stayed Ex parte till the next hearing that is March 15, before the Additional Director of Panchayats,” the order stated.
Responding to the ex-parte stay, legal advisors of affected farmers from Tulaskarwadi Adv Jitendra Gaonkar said,”The Directorate of Panchayat has issued this order haphazardly. DoP could have directly issued a letter stating that the show cause notice is invalid. However it has given a back door entry to the contractor by staying ordering ex-parte stay.”
