Maharashtra minister’s hotel at Calangute runs into trouble

Maharashtra minister’s hotel at Calangute runs into trouble
Panchayat Moves High Court To Stall Occupancy Papers
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: The Calangute panchayat has approached the high court of Bombay at Goa seeking to stall the occupancy certificate issued to Maharashtra revenue minister Narayan Rane’s apartment resort in Goa—Neelam’s The Grand. The panchayat’s contention is that the occupancy certificate was issued “by the panchayat secretary by manipulating and fabricating the minutes”.
Neelam Hotels Pvt Ltd had obtained a construction license on October 11, 2006 and the occupancy certificate was issued on March 13, 2008. A fortnight later, on March 27, the panchayat issued a letter revoking the occupancy certificate stating that according to their records it was found that the occupancy certificate had been issued, “without taking (a) resolution and fabricating and manipulating (the) panchayat minutes book”.
The occupancy certificate was revoked after panchas called a special meeting on March 24, 2008 and resolved that there being, “fabrication and fraud played and hence the minutes stand cancelled and with that all the permissions, licenses, NOC and occupancy certificates is-sued on the basis of these minutes shall stand cancelled”.
The letter to the hotel said, “You are directed not to use the permission/certificate issued to you and any act done on the basis of the same shall be illegal.” A similar letter was sent again in April. ‘Papers fudged during chaos’
Panaji: The Calangute panchayat has moved the Bombay high court at Goa to stall the occupancy certificate of Neelam’s The Grand, a resort owned by Maharashtra revenue minister Narayan Rane.
Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira said that there was a “collapse of the panchayat administration” due to the noconfidence motions passed against the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch between October 2007 and March 15, 2008 and the meeting of February 28 being adjourned without any business being transacted.
“On this day when there was chaos and confusion, minority members of the panchayat with the help of the panchayat secretary and administrator manipulated the records and issued an occupancy certificate to the Neelam Hotels,” said Sequeira. This was done two days before the election of a new sarpanch and deputy sarpanch.
However, events took another turn, when on April 2 the additional director of panchayat passed an ex-parte order under section 178 of Goa Panchayat Raj Act and stayed the panchayat letter and restrained them from taking further action. An upset panchayat on May 14 filed a complaint before the director of panchayats “against the illegality and fabrication of minutes of the panchayat by the secretary and administrator holding charge”. As the director of panchayats refrained from taking action, the panchayat has now filed a petition in the high court challenging the order passed by the additional director of panchayats.
Arvinder Chopra, CEO of Neelam Hotels, said, “The matter is sub-judice and is pending with the director of panchayats and, therefore, I am not in a position to comment.”
Interestingly, in one of the documents filled by Neelam Hotels, they have stated that the use of the property as per ODP/ZP/RP is “settlement” and intended use of the proposed development is “residential”.

September 12, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition