Aldona MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira has accused the Bastora Panchayat of deliberately allowing the illegal shops to continue business alongside the stretch from the Mapusa Tar junction road near the flyover towards Bastora.
He was speaking after conducting a site inspection at Bastora Tar junction following persistent waterlogging reported at the site and along the service road.
He was accompanied by Deputy Collector Pandurang Gad, PWD junior engineer Vishant, Bastora panchayat members Sanila Salgaonkar & Rajesh Pilankar and other officials.
Ferreira said that the panchayat has issued Enable House Numbers (EHN) to these structures instead of demolishing them, and accused the panchayat of being complicit in the activities.
“I have a strong suspicion that the Bastora panchayat may be hand-in-glove with these illegal activities. I am making this charge specifically because first they allow the structures to come up and then allow them to become permanent, and then give them licences and even EHN numbers. We had an inspection last time in 2023 with Yashaswini B, who was the deputy collector then and is now the district collector, due to the flooding. After that, to make a mockery of the entire thing, the panchayat started giving EHN numbers to these structures, which is illegal,” he said.
Ferreira lambasted the panchayat for giving false hopes to the illegal operators of legalising their structures.
“I am not sure if they are getting anything out of this, or if they are partners to get something commission or a monthly bribe. How can it happen without their blessing? I charge the Bastora panchayat to take action. They should have done this suo motu. Once you have this going on, you allow these structures to remain for a long time. Then these people will complain that their business is affected. They spend money and maybe even take loans to build these structures, and you are giving them false hopes,” Ferreira said.
Speaking about the waterlogging issue, Ferreira said that public interest must always be kept foremost before individual interest, which the courts have held. He said the permanent shops along the road have blocked the flow of water.
“We got a lot of complaints about waterlogging. Fields are flooded. All the shops are set up in the fields. There cannot be commercial activities in tenanted agricultural fields. There is even a High Court order to seal and demolish such structures. We are not opposed to people taking up business, but there should not be inconvenience to citizens as many are falling and sustaining injuries due to the flooding issue. Farmers are also complaining that their fields are inundated. Some people have filled the fields higher than the road level, and now there is no path for the water to flow. The deputy collector will take action as per law and the HC order. The HC order will have to be obeyed, it cannot be flouted,” he said.
He expressed disappointment at absence the Sarpanch & Dy Sarpanch of Bastora Panchayat despite his phone calls to each of them.