MARGAO: Vicar of Holy Spirit Church, Fr Ventura Lourenco on Wednesday inspected the alleged illegal hutments in the property of Lar De Estudantes, a former boarding in Modsai area, belonging to the Church. A Margao councillor was accused of encouraging the hutments.

Fr Lourenco, who inspected the situation along with an NGO and the residents of the area, told media that no permission was given to anyone to put up hutments in the area and the structures were illegal.

He also wanted the concerned authorities to immediately "demolish the same" failing which the Church would take action and any law and order situation that might arise out of this would be the sole responsibility of the authorities.

Mr Croydon Medeira, from the NGO, said that the workers from the area had alleged that the local councillor had allowed them to stay there and questioned who he was to give permission to put up hutments on land that did not even belong to him.

The residents of the area also complained that the WRD contractor, whose labourer they apparently are, had used heavy machinery in the area resulting in their house walls developing cracks which the contractor was not willing to repair.

The residents complained that with the onset of the monsoon these walls could collapse.

Mr Medeira demanded that the WRD instruct the contractor to immediately repair the homes of the residents which have been affected by his machinery and complete the works within the next 10 days.

According to sources these workers do not have any toilet facilities so they answer nature’s call in the whole property with residents alleging that the whole place was stinking and causing a health hazard.

A letter has been drafted and handed over to the Collector SP South, PI Margao town, chairperson and chief officer MMC and to take immediate corrective action.