Disability Rights Association of Goa (DRAG) has demanded action against the Shiroda panchayat secretary and BDO officials for their inaction on illegal construction, land grab and fraud against the panchayat.
Addressing the media, DRAG president Avelino de Sa stated, ‘Nicolau Rodrigues and Gaspar Rodrigues sought permission from the Village Panchayat of Shiroda for house repairs worth Rs 99,000, but they constructed an illegal house worth Rs 8 lakhs on the property of a person with disability Sylvester Gracias, without any permission from the panchayat or the TCP.’
The panchayat has not taken any action on the same despite repeated complaints over the last year. Nicolau Rodrigues and Gaspar Rodrigues have also illegally grabbed 450 sq metres of land of a person with a disability.
The BDO officials connived with the panchayat to undervalue the illegal construction. They committed fraud against the panchayat as the construction license fees and house tax is dependent on the value of the house.
‘We have written to the director of panchayats demanding the suspension of the Shiroda panchayat secretary and BDO officials for their inaction on the illegal construction, land grab and fraud against the panchayat. We have also demanded the demolition of the illegal construction. We will also take up the matter with the land grab SIT formed by the government,’ said Avelino.
DRAG has also demanded an increase of the monthly DSS pension for persons with disability from Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 per month and an increase in budgetary allocation for aid and appliances, and skill development for persons with disability.