PANAJI
It was way back in 2010 that the Goa government had listed close to 850 illegal religious structures built on government or public land, following the Supreme Court directions.
Interestingly, in 2013, around 280 structures were even identified for demolition in South Goa alone. However, things never moved forward.
A district-level committee under Collectors was constituted to identify illegal religious structures like temples, churches, mosques, gurudwara, etc, on public streets, public parks, government land and other public places. While the survey was underway, the government also issued a notification as an interim measure that no unauthorised structures shall be permitted or carried out until further orders.
“It was and still is a very sensitive issue. Though we had identified structures and even recommended its demolition, no government can ever take a stand and demolish it on the ground,” an officer, who was part of the committee, said.
Of the total 820-plus structures, almost 40 per cent were temples and ghumtis while others included small chapels and small mosques, etc.
While there were 480 structures in South Goa, 335 structures were identified in North Goa. In the North, Bardez taluka had the maximum 108, while in the South, Sanguem dominated with 88 structures.
Sources informed that close to 280 structures were identified for demolition in the South and another 115 in the North. “We had even approached the religious heads and committees requesting them to remove those structures voluntarily before the government could demolish them. However, neither they removed it nor authorities acted,” sources said.
“In the last 15 years, the number might have gone up substantially. But it is up to the government to decide how to stop such structures coming up in public places in future and also how to deal with the existing ones,” the source said.
