MAPUSA: Situation turned tensed at Siolim on Tuesday when Siolim-Marna panchayat went to inspect a shop named Muskan Foods selling chicken and mutton in Bamonvado, which was allegedly operating illegally and had several complaints against it filed by the villagers.
While the panchayat team reached the spot, over 50 people gathered there. During the inspection, it was found that the shop was operating without required permissions from panchayat and the Health Department and was operating even after the panchayat had issued a closure notice.
The panchayat asked the owner to shut the shop immediately. However the owner refused to shut the shop and asked the panchayat to get orders from court. Responding to which, the Panchayat Secretary informed the owner should have appealed to the notice.
Panchayat asked the operator to produce necessary permissions obtained from the concerned authorities, including Health, which they failed to produce. It was found that operator had obtained only provisional NOC, which expired in October 2022.
The villagers got aggressive and demanded to shut the shop immediately as it was operating illegally. Later the police were informed and a team headed by PSI Ashish Shirodkar rushed the spot to maintain law and order.
“We have no issues with the owner but with the operator, who was running the shop illegally without required permissions from the panchayat and Health department. The permissions issued to the panchayat expired year back and since then the centre has been operating illegally,” a local said
“Also they were not following health guidelines in terms of disposing of garbage/waste. Several times we have caught the workers dumping waste at the road sides. They were also caught while dumping waste in river during late nights,” the local said.
“In October 2022, permissions of this centre expired and a notice was also issued to shut it down in 2022. We had followed all the procedures but they continued to operate. They have other option then closing the shop,” Sarpanch Abhay Shirodkar said.
