PANAJI
Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate on Friday said that the State government will consult legal experts to regularise houses on comunidade land while accusing nexus among some comunidades in permitting encroachments.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting the premises of North Goa District Collectorate, Monserrate insisted on the need for collaboration with comunidades in the regularisation process.
"Not all comunidades but some were involved in allowing illegal encroachments because electricity and water connections don't happen overnight. Nevertheless, we will consult legal experts for regularisation of houses on comunidade land and identify these," he said, as he hinted at initiating action against those comunidade involved in illegality.
Monserrate further emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of encroachments.
The State had recently announced it will move to protect homes built on comunidade land across Goa after several faced action from the respective managing committees in Canacona, Pernem and Saligao.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said the changes were being contemplated by the government in comunidade regulations would be brought in during the winter session of the Goa legislative Assembly later this year or in early 2024.
Sawant had made the statement after meeting scores of residents from Canacona at his official Altinho residence seeking his intervention over the action they are facing from comunidades in the taluka.
He had claimed that almost 500 houses in Canacona and many others elsewhere were issued demolition notices as they were built on comunidade land.
Sawant had also given directions to North and South Administrators to submit a detailed report on encroachments across all comunidade land.
However, it soon came to light that most of these comunidade bodies do not have ready records and details of encroachments in their jurisdictions.
Amidst this, illegal structures on Sancoale Comunidade are being demolished by the authorities.
Meanwhile, reacting to criticism over unending Smart City works in Panaji, the minister claimed it will be completed in six months and apologised to the citizens for the current inconvenience. "By the coming monsoon season, the works will be complete. These works will help Panaji to become flood resistant," he stated.
On the deteriorating condition of the North Goa Collectorate building, he stressed the urgent need to relocate the office to new premises.
