Despite the weekend there was no let down to the anti-encroachment drive in Mapusa, with civic authorities on Saturday continuing with the drive for the fourth day running.
Several shop and stall owners in the municipal area had to face the music either for carrying out illegal extension or displaying their goods on the footpath or along the road widening area.
Armed with electrical cutters and hard machinery, several teams of the municipal staff flanked to different parts of the town to carry out the anti-encroachment drive.
Several illegal extensions were demolished and goods displayed on the footpath were confiscated and dumped into waiting municipal trucks. The seized goods will be stored in the municipal store rooms.
A civic official informed that the goods will be either returned to the owners after paying a fine amount or auctioned.
“This is the first time that the Mapusa Municipal Council has carried out such an extensive anti-encroachment drive. We will not spare anyone. The focus of the council is to make the footpaths accessible to people who come to shop,” a senior municipal officer informed.
So far, the drive has been conducted on the outskirts of the town and the civic body’s next stop will be in the main municipal market.
“We have made our intention very clear on clearing the entire Mapusa of illegalities. The next round will be in the municipal market. This time, the merchants will have no excuse that they are being conducted. We will conduct the drive with an iron hand. We have full support of the local MLA in the drive,” a councillor said, requesting anonymity.
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