CALANGUTE: Residents of Saligao have raised concerns regarding structural violations and misrepresentation of facts associated with a 24-apartment project at Bairo Alto Vaddo. They claim that local authorities, including the town and country planning (TCP) department, Saligao village panchayat, and the local MLA, have repeatedly ignored their requests for a site inspection.
“If this project is legal, why are they avoiding action?” residents questioned.
Frustration mounted after a scheduled joint site inspection was unexpectedly canceled. The residents gathered at the site, asserting that they have been pleading with the authorities for almost a year to halt the construction, which continues unabated. Although a joint inspection involving the TCP, village panchayat, and health department was planned for Friday, the panchayat informed residents—after they arrived—that it had been canceled.
The village panchayat clarified that a letter from the senior town planner in Mapusa, dated July 1, indicated that the purpose of the proposed inspection and the relevant technical clearances were not clearly defined. The panchayat was directed to address the issue per the Goa Panchayat Raj Act.
Aggrieved residents remarked, “We wrote to our MLA Kedar Naik on May 26, and he promised to take action. Yet, what has he done? He has betrayed his constituents by switching allegiances for the benefit of developers in Delhi.”
Additionally, on June 16, residents submitted a letter to the Bardez block development officer (BDO), alleging “structural violations and misinformation regarding the residential project at survey no. 30/6-A, Bairo Alto Vaddo, Saligao,” while requesting a joint site inspection and a stop-work order.
In response, the BDO instructed the Saligao village panchayat to review the site inspection report, verify the claims, take action under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, and report back within 15 days, keeping the complainants informed.
