EVERY YEAR DURING THE GOKUL ASHTAMI AND BEFORE THE GANESH FESTIVAL, THE FAMOUS D B MARG IS FILLED WITH THE HUNDREDS OF STALLS SELLING VARIOUS ITEMS FROM FURNITURE TO CONSUMABLES BUT, THIS YEAR SOMETHING STRANGE HAPPENED. THE CCP INSPECTORS CAME TO DEMOLISH THE STALLS UNDER THE POLICE PROTECTION….
According to the stall owners, the CCP gave them permission to erect the stalls and later they only came to demolish the same. The stall owners raised a huge protest against the action of CCP who came with the police force and started the demolition of stalls erected just two days back. This was a shocking surprise for the stall owners, said one of the stall owners.
The incident took place on Wednesday morning at around 11 am. The owners of the stall speaking to Goa Prism informed that they had a prior permission to erect the stalls from CCP and, that they have made the payments accordingly on Saturday itself to the CCP office, and for which they received a handwritten receipts from CCP office “When we demanded for a printed receipts the municipality people asked us to come on Monday and when we went to CCP office on Monday, to our shock we came to know that the commissioner had issued the notice of demolition of stalls,” said one of the stall owner.
The stall owners revealed that when the CCP went to demolish the stalls under the police protection, they did not show the high court orders to the stall owners and carried out the demolition of the stalls forcibly. The stall owners kept complaining that the Municipality took money from them in advance, and later on sent the police for demolition. They also showed the receipt of the payments made to the CCP for setting up of the stalls.
The stall owners come in the city from various parts of Goa to setup their stalls during the Gokul Ashtami and Ganesh Festivals, and the ferry goes on for 10 days starting on the day of Gokul Ashtami and gets over before the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, said the sources.
One of the stall owner while speaking with Goa Prism said that they had made the payments to CCP on Saturday itself, on a handwritten receipt. They were asked by CCP to come back on Monday to collect the formal receipt but, on Monday the CCP denied them the receipt and sent the inspectors to demolish the stalls. The reason behind the same is said to order from the high court.
The traders feel that they had been deceived by CCP by collecting the money and not issuing the receipt. “They (CCP) collected Rs. 40,000 from each stall owners towards the fees for 10 days time, starting on Gokul Ashtami but, within two days they come down for demolition under the police protection,” said of the stall owners with protest.
Despite the huge resistance from the stall owners, the CCP workers manage to bring the stall down under the police protection. According to the stall owners, they make their bread and butter only on this business and denying them the place of business after collecting the money from them was unethical business practice. The CCP made good use of police force to clean the stalls from the footpath of D B Road, said the sources.
The reporters of Goa Prism tried to get in touch with the CCP Mayor Mr. Surendra Furtado, he denied to comment saying he is not aware of anything and asked them to get in touch with the Commissioner but, when they went to the CCP office nobody was available in the office.
Why did CCP allow the stalls at first place by collecting the money from Stall owners?? Who is responsible for this?? The Stall owners or CCP?? Now, who will bear the losses faced by the stall owners?? Please leave your valuable comments and suggestions on this very serious issue.
