TEAM GOEMKARPONN
VASCO: The Mormugao Port Authority’s (MPA) efforts to demolish structures in the Tariwada area of the Mormugao constituency were thwarted once again due to political intervention. Even in the absence of the local MLA, Sankalp Amonkar, his wife Shraddha Amonkar, who is a municipal councillor, stepped in to protect the homes of residents, who have lived in the area for over 30 years.
Upon hearing about the MPA’s arrival, Shraddha Amonkar rushed to the site, gathering alongside concerned locals. She immediately contacted her husband, Sankalp Amonkar, who was in Maharashtra for BJP campaign work. Sankalp Amonkar quickly took the matter up with Goa’s Chief Minister, Dr Pramod Sawant, which resulted in the MPA halting their demolition plans.
“We got a call from our friend that some officials had come with the police to inform them about the demolition. The sad part is that the house owners were not sent any notice, nor intimated about these plans. These people have been living here for the past thirty years now, and it seems that MPA is targeting this small area causing emotional distress to the residents, many of whom are now living in fear of losing their homes. The house owners have been living in constant fear of demolition for a long time after the MPA claimed the area to be part of their jurisdiction.” said Amonkar on the longstanding issue
“The people have memories attached to these houses, and suddenly the MPA has come out to demolish them. There are a few houses in Tariwada that received the same demolition letter six months ago. It was MLA Sankalp Amonkar who intervened then and spoke to the Chief Minister. He even got an assurance that these houses wouldn’t be demolished until the residents are rehabilitated elsewhere.” said Amonkar
Amonkar questioned the urgency of the MPA’s actions.
“This is a very small stretch, which the MPA claims as their jurisdiction, but people have shown that it is beyond their boundary marked by railings. Secondly, the MPA cannot undertake any development in such a small stretch of land, making us wonder why they are in such a hurry to demolish these houses raising suspicions about the MPA’s motives. The MPA is claiming that the entire Sada is in their jurisdiction, and they have vast lands that are unutilized. Yet, they are stressing on clearing this small portion of land where no project can be taken up. It raises suspicions in the minds of the people as to why the MPA is specifically targeting this area,” said Amonkar.
“As of now, the intervention has bought the residents more time. I was shocked when the MPA reached the site with full readiness without any intimation to the residents. I immediately alerted my husband Sankalp Amonkar who immediately called the CM, and we had talks to protect these houses. While the people may need time to shift, we may also need some time to have them rehabilitated, in the worst-case scenario. We hope to find a proper solution soon,” said Amonkar.
