Complaint against minister's bungalow, Governor asks CS to

A recently-built bungalow of a Goa minister has come under a cloud following a complaint that it falls in a zone where construction is not allowed because of proximity to a UNESCO heritage site.

The bungalow in Old Goa has been constructed by Power Minister Pandurang Madkaikar in violation of rules as it falls within the radius of 300 metres of the Basilica of Bom Jesus, a monument protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), according to the complainant social activist Aires Rodrigues.

Acting on the complaint, Goa Governor Mridula Sinha has asked the state chief secretary Dharmendra Sharma to take "action deemed appropriate".

The note from the governor's secretary Rupesh Kumar Thakur was sent to Sharma on April 26.

When contacted, Sharma said he has received the letter from the governor's office but he would be able to comment only after going through it.

Rodrigues had petitioned the governor seeking appropriate action against the construction of the structure.

According to rules, no construction can take place in the radius of 300 metres from a monument protected by the ASI.

The monument houses the relics of St Francis Xavier, a patron saint of the coastal state.

The bungalow was inaugurated about a month back.

Earlier on April 9, Ridrigues had written a letter to the ASI's Goa Circle, a copy of which was also sent to the governor and the prime minister, alleging that there were illegalities in the construction of the bungalow.

The ASI, in its reply to Rodrigues on April 10, told him that it does not have the magisterial powers either for the removal of encroachment or for the demolition of illegal structures, the activist told PTI.

The ASI asked him"to approach local authorities for further action in the matter.

Rodrigues said the ASI also told him that in a letter dated November 3, 2015, it had asked the Old Goa police to register an FIR against Madkaikar over the unauthorised compound wall of his bungalow.

Madkaikar did not comment on the matter.