MLA Reginaldo Lourenco demands demolition of all irregularities at Aldeia De Goa

Panaji: Responding to an expose by IndyaTv.in on the irregularities and illegal modifications by some of the Ad-hoc Management Committee members and their cronies at the Aldeia de Goa complex at Bambolim, Goa’s most outspoken MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco from Curtorim, demanded an immediate demolition of all such structures.

As reported on Monday, some members of the ad-hoc management committee of Aldeia de Goa have carried out blatant TCP (Town and Country Planning) violations by making major and minor unauthorized changes to their homes, while also allowing such gross TCP violations for their friends and relatives in the Aldeia complex.

A business baron from North India has constructed a huge bungalow within the complex, violating all norms of the TCP department and rules concerning use of FSI. In spite of these glaring irregularities the ad-hoc committee and its chairman, turned a blind eye to the violations.

“All irregularities and illegal construction should be immediately demolished at Aldeia de Goa, as our small fishermen and Goemkars’ houses are facing demolition, and such big business barons should not be allowed to escape the law,” Reginaldo said.

He also demanded that the North Goa Collector’s office look into complaints of safety and civic negligence by the residents of the area.

ALSO READ: Ad-hoc Committee Fiddles While Goa’s Most Expensive Real Estate Aldeia De Goa Crumbles

A social forum Goa Alert Citizens Forum (GACF) has complained to the North Goa Collector as well as the State DGP, regarding the risk to human life at the complex.

The GACF has also informed the TCP department of gross violations (major and minor alterations to original structures) of FSI rules by the committee members and their friends, all residents of the elite complex.

A few residents sent legal notices to the ad-hoc committee of Aldeia De Goa, concerning the mismanagement and lack of concern for basic safety and civic norms, but the thick-skinned, unconcerned ad-hoc committee members do not seem to value human life and have scant respect for the rule of law.

The only option left for the residents now is to probably to knock on the doors of the concerned courts and probe their elected representatives into action, or to take the law into their own hands.

A resident told this reporter, that the ad-hoc committee did not clean the WTP for over a year, exposing the members of the complex to a very serious health hazard. The cleaning was done only after some people pointed out the glaring error and forced the ad-hoc committee to do so on threat of legal action.

Due to Cyclone Tauktae in mid-May and the ensuing rains, a huge tree fell on one of the road inside the Aldeia de Goa complex and broke a boundary wall by the road, exposing residents to a dangerous 20 feet drop below.

Other than putting up a very flimsy and ineffective bamboo barrier, the ad-hoc management committee of Aldeia De Goa has not bothered to repair the broken wall in the last three months, which could have been done in no more than a day or two.

In the last three years, the Aldeia De Goa complex – Goa’s most expensive real estate project has seen a sharp deterioration in the maintenance of the premises, with its infrastructure crumbling largely due to non-maintenance and lack of action by the committee, not to forget rampant corruption by certain vested interests. It is not for the lack or shortage of funds that basic maintenance and security services are being withheld, but for the “care-a-damn” and “go to hell” attitude of the management committee led by Mr Bhasin.

There are several other civic lapses. Lack of garbage cans in common areas and crumbling or broken drain covers is concerning, allege residents.

Not just garbage clearance and road maintenance, even the security of the place has fallen apart with a number of house break-ins and thefts, and the complex that is home to India’s rich and famous is largely unguarded at times, thanks to the lackadaisical attitude of the committee.

Attempts to contact chairman Atul Bhasin and other members of the ad-hoc management committee for their side of the story, comments and inputs, proved futile.

Editor’s Note: IndyaTv.in subsequently managed to reach out to other residents of the Aldeia de Goa complex who clarified that their grievances with regards to civic issues had been resolved and that they were happy with the upkeep and maintenance of the complex and also complimented the ad-hoc committee and its chairman for their efforts.

They also said that the drinking water system in the complex is tested regularly and reports posted in the residents’ general WhatsApp group. The WTP tank cleaning was also done and videos and photographs posted in the residents group as proof of service.

From time to time the developer is also contributing by installing underground cables and spending on tapped PWD water by providing a plot to build water tank for storage.