Team Herald
PANJIM: Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has issued directions to a local builder to stop work and be present for a hearing into the alleged encroachment of the creek near the sewage treatment plant (STP) in St Inez.
Herald on March 16 had highlighted the issue of the St Inez Creek being encroached upon by a real estate developer to facilitate construction of a residential complex near the STP.
Last week, a local farmers’ club had objected to the encroachment and demanded action against the builder.
Taking cognizance of the report, Taleigao Village Panchayat had issued stop work order to the real estate developer, who had been filling the creek to facilitate movement of the vehicles.
Speaking to Herald, Mayor Uday Madkaikar said, “We had seen the Herald report and subsequently made enquiries. Since a part of the encroachment is within the jurisdiction of the Taleigao VP, we were informed that the panchayat had issued a stop work order to the company. Today (March 27) we held a site inspection and it was confirmed creek was being encroachment upon.”
He informed that directions were issued to the site engineer of the property developer to stop work and be present before the CCP with all documents for a hearing.
“We are not aware if the Taleigao Village Panchayat had granted permissions for construction of the retaining wall but we had not granted any permission and as such the work of the retaining wall is being done illegally,” he stated.
The under-construction retaining wall has encroached approximately around seven metres of the creek. Herald had highlighted that a wall of boulders is being constructed along the creek behind the Government Quarters adjacent to the STP.
When Herald had visited the site, no board mentioning the work was seen and neither the machine operator carrying out the work was at the site. It was revealed that the excavator machine at the site is used to excavate the existing silt along the banks of the creek and then replace it with the boulders, which are first crushed to smaller pieces and placed in a wall shape with the help of steel nets.
