PANJIM: With Supreme Court issuing notices to all the respondents in a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Save Old Goa Action Committee (SOGAC), social activists and heritage lovers have reiterated their demand for demolition of an alleged illegal bungalow in the heritage precincts of Old Goa.
Speaking to O Heraldo, Anthony D Silva, an activist, said, “It is a welcome sign and I thank the Supreme Court and Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud for the order. Now, let the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) go to the grassroots and follow the principle of natural justice. Now ASI cannot give a single loophole and must see that the bungalow is demolished to ground zero. We as a team of Goans from different walks of life have also given representation to the ASI providing enough material to pin down the illegalities.”
D Silva said, “I request Dr Sawant not to overtly or covertly support the structure. MLAs should start working on demolition of the structure. The bungalow has to be demolished otherwise it will send the wrong signal to all over the world. Now the Government of Goa, Government of India and ASI should keep their dignity before the world and see that the illegal structure constructed in the heritage protected area is demolished.”
Hugo Gonsalves, Treasurer of Save Old Goa Action Committee, said, “The structure has to be demolished. People of Goa believe in St Francis Xavier. It doesn’t matter which religion we are from. Canacona to Pernem, all people believe in St Francis Xavier. That is why all people in Goa are safe. The structure has to be grounded.”
“I hope that now the Supreme Court will pass an order which will give us justice. Earlier also we had submitted in the High Court that the signature was forged but no action was taken. Even there was a condition that a CRZ licence cannot be transferred to a non-tradition person but what was transferred? I hope that the Supreme Court will take note of all the issues when the case is heard and pass an order to demolish the structure soon,” Glen Cabral, another activist, said.
“People are not happy. Gouveia Pinto had lodged a complaint at Old Goa Police Station and at Village Panchayat Old Goa stating his signature was forged. However, the complaint was withdrawn on health grounds. Yet the local MLA should have taken note of the development and the document should have been verified. I demand that an FIR be lodged and the matter be investigated. I hope that people will get justice,” said another activist Anna Gracias.
In a major relief to those agitating against the construction of the bungalow, the apex court had recently issued notices to the respondents in a Special Leave Petition filed by the Save Old Goa Action Committee (SOGAC), which had challenged an order passed by the High Court (HC) of Bombay at Goa.
The court had also expressed concerns about how the High Court had set aside the matter prematurely instead of remitting the matter back to ASI for reconsideration.
“Having heard learned senior counsel for the petitioner and on perusal of the impugned order, we find that the High Court has found that principles of natural justice had been violated. In the circumstances, prima facie, we find that the matter ought to have been relegated to the Additional Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, for re-considering the matter, after giving reasonable opportunity to all sides of being heard and by following the principles of natural justice. Instead the High Court has simply quashed notice(s) and concluded the proceedings,” the Supreme Court observed and issued notices to all the respondents.