TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The ball has finally landed in the court of the District Collector over the demolition of illegal structures atop Talsanzor hillock, even as the High Court has adjourned hearing of the petition filed by beleaguered residents of adjoining Moti Dongor by two weeks.
When Herald sought to ascertain the status of the illegal structures at Talsanzor, South Goa Comunidade Administrator Sangeeta Naik said she has written to the District Collector N D Agrawal on the ground reality at Talsanzor. “I have drawn attention of the Collector to the fact that none of the illegal structures have been razed down by the occupants till date. And I have also requested the Collector to make necessary arrangement for requisition of a demolition squad to raze the illegal structures,” Naik said.
Officials in private admit that the ball now lies in the court of the District Collector how to go about the work. In fact, the Collector is the cynosure of all eyes since the deadline served on the encroachers to raze the structures have expired on September 17, while the encroachers are yet to obtain any stay from any court of law till date over the demolitions.
Though the Talsanzor residents were scheduled to approach the Administrative Tribunal for a stay
on the demolition exercise, a petition in this respect is yet to be filed till date.
Sources in the know said the District Collector finds himself in a tight spot, with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar publicly declaring that his government will not put anyone on the streets. The Chief Minister is believed to have already spoken his mind to Agrawal when a delegation of Talsanzor residents led by MLA Vijai Sardesai called on him last week.
The District Collector was not available for comment since he was preoccupied with a series of meetings on Wednesday.
