PANAJI
The Bombay High Court at Goa has rapped the North Goa Planning and Development Authority for allowing illegal structures to mushroom in government land acquired and handed over the NGPDA for the beautification of the Mala lake.
The property concerned which falls under Chalta No.160(P), P.T. Sheet No 86 of Panaji City, is exactly opposite the office of the NGPDA.
“The fact that illegal constructions of such a magnitude can come up right in front of the NGPDA Office and full view of the NGPDA's officials, is quite shocking. What is even more shocking is that the NGPDA chose not to take any serious action against such illegal constructions until the present Petition was filed or the Petitioners made their intention of filing the present Petition, made known to the NGPDA and the CCP,” the High Court bench of Justices M S Sonak and Valmiki Menezes, observed.
The High Court has directed the NGPDA to “file an affidavit explaining the circumstances in which such illegal constructions could come up on a portion of its property even though these constructions were right in front of the NGPDA's office.”
“Besides this, the NGPDA should file an affidavit, giving details of the properties held by it and making a clear statement whether or not such properties are fully or partly encroached upon. If the properties are encroached upon, the Member Secretary should give details of steps taken to remove such encroachments,” the High Court said.
The Court said the directions were necessary because “properties belonging to the Government or its instrumentalities have become an easy prey for encroachments.”
“The authorities seldom take actions against the encroachers, which is not correct. The Government and the Authorities are expected to protect its properties because such properties are held by them in trust for the members of public. Any dereliction in maintaining such properties or allowing such properties to be encroached upon, is a serious matter. Such an affidavit should, therefore, be filed by 14th June 2024 by the Member Secretary,” the High Court also ruled.
