PANJIM: Following directions from department of Town Country Planning (TCP), the Old Goa Panchayat on Thursday revoked the license granted to the alleged illegal structure located in the protected heritage zone at Old Goa. The local body will now initiate process to demolish the structure.
Addressing media persons post chairing meeting of Se Old Goa village panchayat, Sarpanch Janita Madkaikar said that the meeting resolved to revoke the license issued by them and accordingly initiate demolition procedure.
She said that the panchayat had received communication from TCP, informing that they have revoked technical clearance and we were directed to initiate necessary action against the construction.
“Shortly, we will undertake inspection at the site and demolition process will start,” Madkaikar said.
The panch members informed that the project is illegal, in violation of the CRZ notification as well as permission granted by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
They said that as per CRZ rule, the said area cannot be transferred to non-fishermen community. Also, ASI has informed that the permission was granted to them to undertake repair and not construction.
The panchayat had earlier this month issued show cause notice to Jose Maria de Gouveia de Pinto, the original owner of the land that the structure stands on, and others, asking why their reconstruction and renewal licence should not be revoked. In their reply, the owners had claimed that the notice is vague.
TCP department had on December 3 asked Panchayat to take necessary action. Before that the department had on November 30 revoked the technical clearance granted to Pinto on October 18, 2016.
The technical clearance was sought in the name of Pinto, the erstwhile owner, who sold 2400 sq m of the land to Survarna Lotlikar, wife of former Goa Forward Party treasurer Suraj Lotlikar, and 9,500 sq m to Manish Munot, husband of BJP spokesperson Shaina NC.
