Team Herald
CALANGUTE: ‘Save Calangute’ (SC) has opposed the re-opening of two local restaurants that were forcibly shut due to illegal activities, including prostitution, taking place in its premises. The group has urged panchayat secretary Eknath Talkar, deputy sarpanch Joseph Sequeira and other authorities not to permit the re-opening in the interest of the village.
Sequeira has informed the group that the panchayat has not issued any licence to the two restaurants at Naikka Vaddo and Gaura Vaddo.
SC member Kundan Kerkar said, “The restaurant at Naikka Vaddo (near Falcon Resort), which was forcibly shut due to pressure from the locals, has been re-opened without any permission. The same was confirmed by Talkar and Sequeira. We were told that the Directorate of Panchayats has directed them to issue a licence for the restaurant within a time frame. We are against the re-opening of the restaurants, which could result in law-and-order problems due to several illegalities taking place in their premises and we have submitted a memorandum signed by villagers.”
Meanwhile, Sequeira stated, “We have not issued any license to run the restaurant. However, we have received an order from the DoP to issue the license within seven days. We will consider the views and demands of the villagers and write to the authorities accordingly.”
