PANJIM: Fresh revelations strengthen charges against the Electricity Department for causing the blackout in Tiswadi on Sunday, which was allegedly to facilitate a builder to shift a high tension line from near his property at Kadmaba plateau.
It has been revealed that the construction of the HT line on the public road was not approved by the authorities and the government had also issued a stop work order in April 2017. Moreover, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had thereafter directed the authorities to stop the work, if found illegal in a fresh survey.
Based on a complaint, Parrikar on January 29, 2018, had said in a written communiqué to North Goa Collector, “From the photo enclosed prima facie that there is digging of the public road for construction of buildings. May carry out immediate inspection of the site and if found illegal, stop the work immediately and take the necessary action as per law. FST (Flying Squad Team) to immediately inspect and report.”
The FST had confirmed excavation and column for foundation was constructed in the road widening area. It had directed the Principal Chief Engineer of the Electricity Department to inquire into the matter and take appropriate action.
The entire illegality was exposed by local resident Kashinath Tari through his lawyer Galileo Teles who initially approached the government and thereafter the High Court of Bombay seeking its intervention.
Meanwhile, Electricity Department had also concluded that no approval was given to carry out any works related to shifting of 110kv line.
“It was observed that they (builders) have carried out the work of foundation of monorail K in deviation to the site without any approval and inspite of directions given by the department to keep the work on hold. They were asked to submit the detailed plan showing final orientation of the road which is not furnished till date. It is to conclude that no approvals were given from the departmental side to carry out any works related to shifting of 110kv line in deviation of the approved plan and the order of the high court,” the report prepared by Chief Electrical Engineer Neelakanta Reddy on February 19, said. The report was also marked to the OSD to Chief Minister.
During this period, the Town & Country Planning’s letter surfaced wherein it had issued stop work order for any further development/construction, communicated on April 11, 2017. The village panchayat of Se Old Goa was also asked to take necessary action against the construction activity as the work was undertaken without shifting the 110kv high village line.
However, despite all these inquiries and reports, the alleged illegal work of the construction of the HT line continued, and resulted in Sunday’s power shutdown and blackout.
A legal notice was recently issued to Electricity Department, and its sub offices bringing to its notice that the lines have not been drawn as per the revised plan approved by TCP Department.
Adv Teles alleged that the developers were carrying out shifting of the HT lines arbitrarily for the purpose of commercial exploitation of the property in Bainguinim. “The arbitrary shifting of the high voltage line by the builder to construct a residential colony project cannot be permitted at the cost of the life of my client and other citizens using the public road,” Teles said in the letter on May 28, 2018 urging the authorities to stop the work.
