Team Herald
MARGAO: The Village Panchayat of Davorlim on Thursday commenced the inspection of the 166 allegedly illegal houses with heavy police protection, even as the people residing in these houses wanted to know why only they were being targeted.
A team led by Sarpanch Herculano Niasso along with a few panch members and the panchayat secretary undertook the inspection. The Sarpanch countered that the owners should have submitted their legal documents to the panchayat, since they claim they had been living there for several years now.
The owners of the 166 houses at Davorlim had applied for enable house numbers; the panchayat refused to issue the same as they received a complaint alleging that the houses were built illegally on agricultural land owned by the Comunidade. “This inspection is being carried out upon the complaint filed by the concerned person. We have decided to complete the inspection in the next couple of days. Today, we inspected only five houses for which reports will be prepared,” said Niasso. He said the panchayat was in the dark about the legality of these houses, as nobody had raised any complaints.
“This inspection has nothing to do with the issue of enable house numbers,” he clarified.
A large number of people residing in the houses gathered at the site and alleged that the inquiry was politically motivated.
“There are thousands of illegal houses at several other places; the government should also initiate action against them,” said an occupant of one of the controversial houses.
