PANAJI
Top officials of the law and revenue departments have been directed to prepare a preliminary draft of an ordinance the government intends to promulgate to make a distinction in the statutes between 'illegal' and 'irregular' constructions in a bid to come up with a strategy by which the government hopes to give relief that fall in the latter category in the wake of the recent crackdown ordered by the Bombay High Court at Goa.
The directives to the top bureaucrats were issued at a meeting held earlier this week and chaired by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, Advocate General Devidas Pangam, Revenue Secretary Sandip Jacques, IAS, and other senior officials of the revenue and law departments attended the meeting which went late into the night, mid-week.
Monserrate, meanwhile, said that suggestions have been sought from officials and the draft will be ready soon.
He said that some measures which will ensure that the High Court's order on illegal constructions does not affect the common citizens were discussed at the meeting which had to be ended midway since it was too late into the night.
Monserrate said, a proposal to amend the law or issue an ordinance regarding 'illegal' and 'irregular' constructions is also under consideration and the government is trying to save the homes of common citizens from crackdown ordered by the High Court.
The discussions are expected to be taken up afresh next week at another meeting at which the officials are expected to come up with preliminary draft of the ordinance, he added.
Monserrate also said, that local bodies including panchayats and municipalities will also be issued appropriate instructions regarding illegal constructions in the context of the High Court order.
