PANAJI: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has yet again charged the Captain of Ports (CoP) of bypassing the authority of the corporation.
This time, the CCP has taken objection to the permission given by the CoP to put up an advertisement hoarding along the bank of River Mandovi, on the city side. The corporation has said that the hoarding is defiling the splendor of the river flowing along the capital city.
In 2013, the then city Mayor, Surendra Furtado had taken strong objection to the construction work at the Panaji jetty, as taken up by the Captain of Ports, without necessary permission from the CCP.
In a written communication – strangely post-dated February 27, 2017 – the CCP Commissioner Dipak Desai informed the Captain of Ports, “It is seen that there is an advertisement hoarding on pontoon in the River Mandovi abutting the promenade opposite Mermaid Garden and it is learnt that your office has given permission for the said advertisement.”
The letter from the CCP Commissioner to the CoP further states that “It is specifically pointed out that this portion where the hoarding is housed is illegal. The party concerned claims immunity of Corporation of the City of Panaji licence by taking shelter of your permission. It looks that this is a covert act on your part to allow hoarding abutting the promenade, which is in defiance of High Court of Bombay in suo motto writ petition No 1 of 2007. Moreover, it will set a dirty precedent.”
“Also it is in contravention of Provision of Defacement of Public Property Act 1988. It is therefore, requested to withdraw any licence, which is issued to the third parties for installation of such hoardings abutting the promenade or shift it to the middle of River Mandovi, or we may have to take action as per the above provision of law,” the letter concludes.
Confirming about the letter written by the CCP to the CoP, the city Mayor Surendra Furtado told ‘The Navhind Times’ that no such advertisement hoarding could be put up along the bank of River Mandovi.
“In fact, any such advertisement has to be 40 mts away from the bank, into the river,” he added, observing that if today one advertisement hoarding is allowed along the bank of the river, then tomorrow 50 more would mushroom along the promenade of the river, spoiling the beauty of the city’s waterfront. Furtado also said that the act of the CoP to issue permission for the purpose is against the judicial directive, and further causes distraction to the drivers of the vehicles passing along the advertisement hoarding.
