Minister urges for demolishion of illegal structures

Panaji, Aug 14 (UNI) Unable to face the public ire in his own Benaulim constituency, tourism minister Francisco Xavier (Mickey) Pascheco today urged chief minister Digambar Kamat to issue demolition orders for all the illegal structures built in violation of the licence granted to the builders in Goa.

At the sametime, he questioned the widsom of the Town and Country Planning ministry, also headed by CM, in considering the review petitions filed by the builders seeking regularisation of the violations.

Many of the builders had even built structures in violations of the Coastal Zone Regularions in South Goa with impunity, leave alone licence norms, he told mediapersons here today.

This, he said, had caused people misunderstanding the sarpanches and the panchas, whereas the bureaucracy was resorting to all the tricks to regularise the illegal structures.

This had even resulted in people voicing against the construction of mega structures in the villages, culminating in fighting against one another in the panchayats, he said.

Even the cabinet colleagues failed to understand the implications in the episode and they were divided on the issue of mega structures.

Mr Pascheco, who belonged to the NCP coalition partner, however did not indicate the action he contemplated against the development as a part of the government.

This gains significance in the light of the NCP legislature party and executive recently recently accusing the Congress partner of ignoring the demands of the NCP in accommodating the party activists in government positions including corporations.

The issue was brought to the notice of the NCP highcommand also even as the party leadership regretted the failure of the Congress to organise coordination committee meeting of the coalition partners to redress the grievances.

UNI BM SR RL DS1420