PIL against regularisation of shops by CCP filed in HC
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, DEC 8
The government’s ineptitude to take action against illegal occupants of shops in Panjim market has compelled a citizen to approach the High Court seeking relief.
One Devanand Mayinkar has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before Bombay High Court at Goa seeking stay on resolution adopted by the standing committee of the CCP to regularlize illegally allotted shops in the new market by charging certain fee.
The petition also seeks direction to the government to order enquiry into illegal allotment of shops in the new market.
The petitioner claimed that the resolution adopted by the standing committee to grant immunity to illegal occupants is erroneous.
The resolution was however not approved by the CCP due to opposition from some corporators.
Opposition corporators had alleged a scam of crores of rupees in the allotment of shops in the market and demanded enquiry. The CCP Commissioner Elvis Gomes in his report, tabled in the Assembly in June this year, had confirmed that occupation of market shops in both phases had happened without any official sanctity and no rents were recovered right from the date of occupation as also no maintenance charges collected from any one.
As a result, huge bills of water and electricity consumptions have piled up amounting to Rs 12,06,952 and Rs 62, 20,833 respectively.
Interestingly, Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao himself had admitted on the floor of the House that indeed the shops were illegally occupied in the market.
He informed the House then that 37 shops in phase I, 77 shops in Phase II, 446 platform spaces and 344 stalls on first floor were found to be illegally occupied.
Though he had assured to take action — even six month later of his assurance has remained unfulfilled.
