Panaji, Jan 15 (PTI) Goa officials on Thursday sealed a restaurant owned by former chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar at Arambol village in North Goa district for illegal construction on salt pan land.

The former BJP leader claimed that he had leased out the property to another person.

Pernem deputy collector Shivprasad Naik on Wednesday ordered sealing of the `Ottello' restaurant spread over 700 sqmt on a piece of land owned by Parsekar.

Parsekar was the BJP chief minister of the state from 2014 to 2017 following Manohar Parrikar's elevation as Union defence minister.

The deputy collector's order stated that as per a report submitted by Mamlatdar (revenue official) of Pernem taluka, the hotel is located in survey no 52/1 at Arambol village.

Its wooden pathway or bridge erected in a water body lacked valid permission from the authorities, the report said.

As per the records, the restaurant stands on `Mithgar Madlawada' (salt pan land) and a major part of it is shown as a water body. The Regional Plan also shows it as a salt pan, deputy collector Naik's order said.

"Considering all above and status of the land of Sy no 52/1 of Arambol village clearly proves that the structures mentioned above by the Talathi (village revenue official) has been erected in the salt pan without obtaining any permissions from the government authorities and being used for the commercial activities," the order stated .

It also noted that the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in the state, where a devastating fire claimed 25 lives on December 6, too was constructed on salt pan land.

"Considering the incident (that) took place at (Birch by) Romeo Lane in Arpora village, it is necessary to take precautions to save the lives of the people who visit that place," the order stated.

As the restaurant structure lacked necessary permissions, its operations should be stopped to safeguard people's lives, hence the Mamlatdar of Pernem Taluka was being ordered to seal the premises immediately, the order said.

When contacted, Parsekar told PTI that he had leased out the property to another person who operated the restaurant. "My role ends when I lease out the property. It is for that person to get required permissions," he contended, denying that he was responsible for any illegality.

"I am not bothered whether the hotel is sealed or not," he added. PTI RPS KRK

Former Goa CM's restaurant sealed for illegal construction on salt pan land to halt unauthorised commercial use and protect public safety. A deputy collector ordered sealing of a 700 sq.mt. restaurant on survey no. 52/1 at Arambol after a Mamlatdar report found structures, including a wooden pathway in a water body, erected on land recorded as a salt pan and shown as such in the Regional Plan without required permissions; the order directed immediate sealing to stop commercial operations and protect public safety.