TEAM HERALD
PONDA: Acting on orders of Ponda Deputy Collector Johnson Fernandes, a demolition squad on Thursday cleared an encroachment in government property at Baithekhol-Borim.
According to reports, the PWD had acquired the land that belonged to a private party along the NH-17B near Baithkhol junction. However even after the land acquisition, a tenant had allegedly rented out a part of the land to a scrap dealer to store scrap material. PWD officials claimed that a notice was served to vacate the area about six months back and later the notice was extended by one month. The Borim panchayat had also written to the PWD regarding the issue. As the structure was not removed, the PWD filed a complaint with the Ponda Deputy Collector.
Complying with the demolition orders of the scrap yard issued by the Ponda Deputy Collector, the demolition squad cleared the area in the presence of Ponda mamlatdar Amul Gaonkar, a Ponda police team, a PWD junior engineer and members of the Borim panchayat.
“The demolition orders were issued by Ponda Deputy Collector and it has been complied with,” informed Gaonkar.
It may be recalled that villagers at various gram sabhas had demanded the removal of the scrap yard and even accused the panchayat of failing to take action in the matter.
However, panchayat members refuted the allegations stating that they had already brought this issue to the notice of authorities.
“This illegal scrap yard, which was right at the entrance of Borim village, was an eyesore and we were against it. Villagers had even targeted us for not taking any action, but we had already written to authorities requesting action. This is the only scrap yard in Borim and we are glad that it has been finally removed,” said Borim Deputy Sarpanch Parimal Samant.
