Stop-work order for illegal Old Goa structure issued

Panaji: The Se-Old-Goa panchayat has issued a stop work order to an ongoing illegal construction near the St Augustine Tower. The matter came to light when residents saw fencing work being done at a plot near the heritage site.

Following this, ward member Ambar Amonkar reported that the construction might encroach upon a protected area managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Goa circle. Sources from the ASI, however, said that no permission was sought from them for the construction.The panchayat order requires the construction to stop immediately, and asks the party to present relevant documentation within three days to prove the legality of the work.

“Failing to approach this office with documentary evidence, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in the matter, and further course of action as contemplated under the GPRA 1994 will be initiated against you, which may be taken note of,” said the order issued by Old Goa sarpanch Medha Parvatkar. Dating back to 1602, the ruin of the Church of St Augustine is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and no construction is permitted within 100m of its location. The panchayat and the ASI are yet to deduce whether the fenced plot falls within the buffer.Save Old Goa Action Committee president Fatima Pereira, on Monday, wrote to CM Pramod Sawant and to the ASI about the issue and sought investigation into the construction.