Margao: The additional collector (I) Srinet Kothawale on Wednesday claimed that the illegal house of Remediana Castanha of Verna was not demolished by the government or the district collectorate, instead the exercise was carried out by the office of the administrator of comunidades, South Goa as part of its routine demolition exercise as per statutory duties and court directives. Issuing a press note and explaining the sequence of events that finally led to the demolition of the house, Kothawale said that the district administration is aware of the matter and will intervene and facilitate all the necessary assistance to the family for their rehabilitation and other requirements.

 

He said that “it is pertinent to clarify that the news has gone viral on social media that the state government has displaced the Verna family, which is incorrect. The demolition exercise has not been carried out by the government or the district collectorate. It is done by the administrator of comunidades, south zone, Margao as a routine demolition exercise as per its statutory duties and court directives.”

He said that based on a complaint received by the comunidade of Verna on Remediana Castanha and her husband on August 25, 2006, the managing committee had resolved to carry out a site inspection and the matter was referred to the administrator of comunidades of south zone. Thereafter the administrator had issued a notice to the family to vacate the land by October 23, 2006 or appear before the administrator in person to explain why a show-cause notice should not be issued.

 

Kothawale further stated that “the administrator of the comunidades of south zone, after hearing the family, had issued a final order for demolition of the house on June 6, 2007. Thereafter another final order was issued in 2012 by the administrator for removal of the structure and, accordingly, the deputy collector was urged to provide the demolition squad. “However, the demolition was not carried out following the court directions to maintain a status quo on the hearing of the civil suit of the party praying for declaration of the title by virtue of adverse possession and other reliefs that are consequential in nature. And the suit was later rejected.”

 

Years later in 2022, the comunidade of Verna had written to the government for execution of the demolition. Subsequently, the administrator of comunidades, South Goa had sought a demolition squad from the office of the deputy collector, which was provided and the demolition was carried out on September 6, the press note says.