TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: Sympathizing with the plight of those people who had invested in properties of the tainted builders other than the Ruby Residency, Canacona MLA and Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar said he was of the personal opinion that those investors should get justice in the matter.
Admitting his willingness to put forth their grievances before the government agency concerned, Tawadkar was, however, quick to tread cautiously by adding that the State government would have to take a call on their grievances.
“It is for the Home department to decide on the issue. I have no role to play or decide on the technicalities involved,” said Tawadkar.
It may be recalled that about 110 stakeholders of Bharat Heights and Palolem Plaza, the other two properties of Bharat Developers & Realtors Pvt ltd, have formed a forum, to pursue their interests in getting various authorities to de-freeze their properties.
They want authorities to allow the builder to continue with the construction activities in the two other properties, so that they can take ownership of the premises.
Tawadkar, who was initially reluctant to comment on the plight of the stakeholders at Bharat Heights and Palolem Plaza, the other two properties of the tainted builders, told Herald that the Home department or other department concerned should take a call in the matter.
“I have no role to play in investigations into the probe of the collapsed building of Ruby Residency. I am, however, of the personal opinion that justice should be done to those people who invested their hard-earned money in other properties of the builders.
When asked if he, as the local MLA and a minister, had taken up the cause of the aggrieved investors, Tawadkar shot back, “See, I do not wish to comment on the Ruby Residency building collapse issue, as it is being investigated by a competent authority.”
“How will I know about their plight if no aggrieved investor has approached me in this connection? If they approach me, I am willing to put forth their grievances before the government agency concerned. No injustice should be done to the innocent, but at the same time the guilty must be punished.”
At the same time, Tawadkar defended his government’s action to attach all properties of the tainted builders.
“Such action was necessary to investigate and verify if the same dubious construction material, believed to have led to the collapse of the building at Ruby Residency, was also used in other properties of the same builders,” said Tawadkar.
