Panaji: State govt on Saturday ordered the closure of all stalls, shops, hotels and similar temporary or permanent commercial structures on the day of the Shree Devi Lairai jatra, scheduled for April 21 at Shirgao. “All stalls, shops, hotels and similar temporary or permanent commercial operating structures within all zones at Shirgao will remain strictly closed and non-operational from 6pm on April 21 till 8am on April 22. However, this restriction won’t apply to stalls specifically approved by the collector,” Bicholim SDM Shubham Naik said.During this period, no sale, service, cooking, storage, display of goods, customer entry, or any allied commercial activity shall be permitted from any stall, shop, hotel or similar structure in the notified zones, except as allowed.“No person shall erect, reopen, permit access to, or otherwise operate any unauthorized stall, shop, hotel or similar structure during the aforementioned restricted period, whether or not any claim of permission is made,” the order said.The restriction will apply to all unauthorized stalls, shops, hotels and similar structures within or affecting operational zones, access routes, pedestrian corridors, holding areas, the Homkhand area, Main Tali area, and emergency movement corridors.The Mamlatdar of Bicholim taluka, as in-charge officer of the joint task force, will ensure strict enforcement of the order.The joint task force, comprising the mamlatdar, police, fire and emergency services, electricity department, PWD (Roads), PWD (buildings), and the secretary of village panchayat Shirgao, will take immediate steps to ensure compliance, including closure of unauthorized operations and removal of obstructions.The police inspector of Bicholim police station and other personnel on bandobast duty will assist in enforcing the order and preventing any breach.Any violation will invite immediate action by the joint task force and penal action under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, besides other action permissible under law.
