PANAJI
It’s been almost 14 years since the Census 2011 declared three towns of Goa - Panaji, Mormugao and Margao - as slum dominated census towns - they are not yet officially recognized by the State government. In the absence of “notified slums”, the State authorities find themselves helpless as far as redevelopment or rehabilitation of this population is concerned.
According to the officials, the government will now have to wait for 2027 Census data for fresh slum population count before notifying it or taking up rehabilitation work.
As per 2011 census, the highest slum population has been reported in Mormugao accounting for 90 per cent of the total State’s slum population.
With increasing migration, the slum population has witnessed almost 80 per cent growth and it has spread over many other parts of the coastal State.
Currently, slums in the State are very visible in settlements such as Moti Dongor, Zuarinagar, Chimbel, Camrabhat, and Mapusa; but authorities say that the coastal belt too has emerged as a hotspot for slums.
A senior official at Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) confirmed that the government is yet to officially notify slum areas of the State and has also not put in place Slum Development Committee or State Slum Redevelopment Authority, as mandated under the Goa Rehabilitation Act.
“Recently, the State has formed a committee to assess Moti Dongor slum rehabilitation. But the question is, has the government notified Moti Dongor as Slum Area? No. So unless a slum area is officially notified or categorized, how can a rehabilitation plan work?,” official said, explaining that the Goa Rehabilitation Act does not allow rehabilitation unless the slum area is notified.
Since 1985, when the first plan was mooted to rehabilitate the slum areas of Monte Hill, there seems to be lack of clarity and confusion over the “authority” for undertaking the rehabilitation project. The Goa Rehabilitation Board (GRB) - the body formed for this purpose, lacks or has got no power to deal with slum rehabilitation.
Accordingly, the government entrusted the task to GSUDA, who too refused to take the charge.
“A dedicated Slum Development Committee or State Slum Redevelopment Authority has to be put in place for identification, notification and plans for either redevelopment or rehabilitation,” official said.
Sawant in the State Budget 2023-24 had announced that the government is committed for rehabilitation of notified slum dwellers in urban areas of Margao, Mormugao and Panaji for which a special provision of Rs 5 crore has been made.
In the 2017 Budget too, then CM Manohar Parrikar had made a Rs 50 crore provision to rehabilitate all the inhabitants of Zuarinagar, Chimbel and Camrabhat.
