MAPUSA
The Cunchelim comunidade has become the latest comunidade in Bardez to unanimously oppose the government’s bid to regularise unauthorised structures on comunidade land, firmly rejecting the proposed amendment to the Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070.
Speaking after the general body meeting, comunidade president Ryan Braganza said the members were dissatisfied with the land rates proposed by the government.
“The gauncars did not agree with the land rate fixed by the government and therefore decided to oppose the amendment,” Braganza stated.
The comunidade further resolved to support other comunidades that have already challenged the amendment in the High Court.
The Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070 (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — passed during the monsoon session of the Assembly in August — seeks to legalise houses built without authorisation on comunidade land prior to February 28, 2014, a move that has triggered strong opposition from comunidades across Goa.
At the well-attended meeting, members also discussed the issue of a cultivator claiming rights over comunidade land acquired by the government for a common crematorium in Cunchelim. The attorney of the comunidade, Michael Carrasco, said the comunidade would wait for a formal proposal from the tenant before taking a final call.
“The tenant, who is essentially a cultivator, is claiming a right in the property bought by the government for the crematorium. We have decided that the cultivator/tenant should submit a proposal on how he wishes to resolve the matter, and the comunidade will decide accordingly,” Carrasco said.
The government has already deposited the cost of the crematorium land with the PDA, officials confirmed.
