Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: Locals erupts in protest as a starred hotel management in Rajbagh-Canacona had blocked the way (access) to a house yesterday on the Sunday (29th) by erecting an Iron sheet gate along the fence on the road leading to the two houses of families belonging to Pagi community, including the as well as the house of one Surang Pagi, besides blocking traditional pathways.
On noticing the unusual development a local resident Ashok Pagi, son of Surang Pagi (victim), and CMC Vice-Chairperson and Rajbagh-Tarir Councillor Gandesh Madgaonkar, questioned the person working on installation of the Iron Sheet gate, which directly blocks the access to the two existing houses of Pagi community. Locals use the pathway to visit their religious place (Gharvayi).
Locals claimed that the starred hotel management using the services of bouncers have forcibly carried out the work on Sunday.
On intimation, CMC Chairperson Sara Samba Naik Desai, councillor and former Chairperson Ramakant Naik Gaonkar, Councillor Dhiraj (Pandurang) Naik Gaunkar, neighboring Patnem councillor Shubham Komarpant, besides local councillor and Vice-President Gandesh Madgaonkar, President of Canacona BJP Mandal Vishal Desai, former CMC Chairperson Shyam Desai, Shri Mallikarjun Devasthan, Shristhal Mahajans Shambha NaikDesai, Ranjit Desai, Mahabaleshwar Desai, Pujar Bhikar, former president of the Shri Mallikarjun Devasthan and ex- CMC Chairperson Rajendra Desai, Shantaji Gaonkar, Ramesh Desai, Samrat Bhagat, Ankush Desai besides several others held an emergency meeting in the hall of Vithal Rakhumai Devalaya at Rajbagh. The leaders besides several local residents then led a march on the hotel management and demanded the immediate removal of the iron-gate installed on the fence on the traditional path (way) leading to the two houses. In the meeting it is also discussed that this particular hotel if allowed to carry out this illegality will continue to do so and it has to be stopped. Any illegality has to be dealt with iron hands and councillors and CMC Chairperson has to to take care of it. The palki roads and other traditional paths cannot be allowed to close as originally agreed while building the hotel itself, and management who comes should be dealt with strong hands.
Mincing no words, Canacona Dy. Collector Madhu Narvekar gave stern warnings and threaten criminal action leading to the Jail the Hotel Management personnel if any further violations or any illegal activities carried out in the area.
As the hotel management did not agree to accept their demand, they finally called on Canacona Dy. Collector Madhu Narvekar who ordered the hotel management to remove the said illegally installed gate immediately. People also demanded that the concerned hotel had to give in writing that they wouldn’t carry out such illegal acts again, especially blocking traditional paths and the paths used for religious purposes during certain times of the year.
Finally the hotel management accepted the directives of Dy. Collector removed the said gate with the help of a cutter and cleared the way opening up access to the both houses of Pagi community. People also demanded the Dy. Collector for registration of criminal cases – FIR against the hotel management for carrying out such criminal acts.
