Stop ops: GIDC to car service centre at Verna

Panaji: Acting swiftly after the massive blaze at the Verna Industrial Estate, the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) on Wednesday asked the automobile service centre to cease operations immediately. It also issued directions asking for the occupancy certificate to be withdrawn in view of the violations noticed.

GIDC’s estate wing submitted a report about the massive fire that destroyed close to 40 premium cars. The report stated that the cars given for servicing by individuals were parked in an open space in violation of earlier strictures issued by the corporation.

“We received the report and I instructed our officials to immediately revoke the occupancy certificate for the unit,” said GIDC MD, Pravimal Abhishek. “Currently, we have asked them to shut down operations, and they agreed and stopped operations,” Abhishek said.

A fire that broke out on dry grass at the Verna Industrial Estate rapidly spread to a vacant industrial plot used by a vehicle service centre to park SUVs and premium sedans. The vehicles, valued in several crores of rupees, either came in for service or were due for delivery to new owners.

GIDC issued a show cause notice to the automobile retailer about the violations noticed and gave it seven days to respond. Senior GIDC officials said the corporation had issued notices to the car retailer asking the firm to remove the illegally parked vehicles. The earlier notices, however, were ignored. GIDC’s report of Tuesday’s fire identified a number of violations based on which notices were issued, and the company was given seven days to respond.

“We will hear from them, and if we are not satisfied with what they have to say, we will initiate legal proceedings,” said Abhishek.