MARGAO
In the run-up to the Margao Municipal Council elections in 2021, the Hospicio hospital property at Monte Hill became the scene of hectic activity. Reason: Encroachers jostled with each other to stake claim to government land by erecting temporary bamboo structures.
The situation escalated until it reached the office of the South Goa District Collector. On February 24, 2021, a demolition squad led by then Salcete Mamlatdar Prataprao Gaonkar, accompanied by police protection, descended on the site and cleared the illegal structures, preventing what officials described at the time as a large-scale encroachment of the hillock belonging to the South Goa District Hospital, commonly known as Hospicio.
Five years later, the issue appears to have come full circle. The illegal structures have resurfaced on the sloping terrain, and several new constructions have reportedly come up on the property. With civic elections now scheduled for May, there are growing apprehensions that another wave of encroachments may take place, allegedly under political patronage.
Sources within Hospicio allege that the land is “up for grabs”, blaming what they describe as inaction and lack of political will on the part of agencies such as the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) and other government departments.
Significantly, after completing the demolition drive in 2021, then Mamlatdar Prataprao Gaonkar had informed the media that his office would write to the Hospicio administration, advising it to secure and safeguard its property against future encroachments.
However, since the 2021 demolition, not only have the original structures reappeared, but additional constructions have come up on the vulnerable hillside. Neither the Hospicio administration nor the Town and Country Planning Department, nor the MMC, have stepped in decisively to clear the alleged encroachments or protect the government land.
The continued inaction has raised several questions. Why have the Health Department, the Urban Development Department, and the Town and Country Planning authorities not acted against the encroachments? Why has no sustained effort been made to secure the government-owned property?
Beyond the issue of ownership, concerns are also being raised about safety. The land in question is a sloping and hilly tract, and residents fear that unregulated and illegal construction could compromise the stability of the slope in the years to come, potentially leading to environmental and structural risks.
A local citizen pointed to the Wayanad tragedy as a reminder of the dangers posed by unchecked hill development. “After the Wayanad tragedy, the government rushed to assure the people of Goa that it would crack down heavily on illegal developments on hills and slopes. The Town and Country Planning Minister, Vishwajit Rane, had even unveiled plans to amend the TCP Act to impose a penalty of Rs 25 lakh for illegal hill cutting. Leave alone imposing fines, why is the government not protecting its own sloping property from encroachments?” he questioned.
The citizen further added, “Minister Vishwajit Rane should play a proactive role with regard to the Hospicio property. He currently oversees the Health, TCP and Urban Development departments ” all three of which, in one way or another, have failed to protect the property in question.”
MMC yet to act on hospital’s encroachment complaint
MARGAO: On November 20, 2023, the Medical Superintendent of the South Goa District Hospital, Dr Rajendra Borkar, lodged a formal complaint with the Margao Municipal Council regarding unauthorised structures erected on the Hospicio property bearing PT Sheet No. 191, Chalta No. 75, near Junta Quarters at Monte Hill, Margao.
The complaint stated that the same structures had earlier been demolished on February 24, 2021, but had since been reconstructed. In his communication to the Chief Officer of the MMC, Dr Borkar urged the civic body to conduct a panchanama and demolish the illegal constructions in accordance with the provisions of the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968.
According to sources, the Medical Superintendent subsequently sent a reminder to the municipal authorities, requesting that the matter be taken to its logical conclusion.
However, more than two years later, not only do the structures continue to stand, but additional constructions have reportedly come up on the hospital property. Although a joint inspection was carried out by the concerned authorities, no concrete action has followed.
When contacted, Dr Borkar was unavailable for comment. Sources within the Hospicio indicated that the Margao Municipal Council has not cooperated with the hospital administration in clearing the encroachments from its property.
The delay in enforcement has raised questions over the civic body’s response to unauthorised constructions on government land, particularly property belonging to a key public health institution in South Goa.
Questions over compliance with HC order on illegal structures
MARGAO: As the debate rages over the inaction by government agencies to protect Hospicio hospital land from encroachments, questions are raised whether the Health Services or the Margao Municipal Council had made any reference to the illegal structures on government property as per the High Court order.
The High Court had last year directed the local bodies as well as agencies to file affidavits relating to encroachments and illegal structures on government land and roadside structures.
It’s not known whether the Margao Municipality or the Health Department had filed any affidavit pertaining to the illegal structures dotting the Hospicio property at Monte Hill.
