THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
The government has warned of civil and criminal action against office bearers of the Comunidade involved in illegal land allotments. The State, through Advocate General Devidas Pangam, made this submission before the Bombay High Court at Goa on Wednesday in connection with a petition by four occupants of Cunchelim Comunidade land.
The Court while refusing relief from demolition to the petitioners granted them six weeks time to vacate the property and take away their belongings.
Pangam informed the Court that civil and criminal action would be taken against the Comunidade office bearers responsible for the illegal land allocations. “Those involved in this will face civil and criminal action,” he stated as the Bench recorded this submission before disposing of the petition.
The High Court, on Tuesday, granted a one-day stay on the demolition of four illegal structures on Cunchelim Comunidade land after the appeal from its occupants Sikha Jha, Rajesh Jha, Girish Nayak, and Tulsiram Lodhi seeking a stay order. The matter was thereafter adjourned to Wednesday.
The petitioners informed the court that they had paid substantial amounts to Comunidade members who allotted them the land and permitted the construction of the structures. This allegation prompted the government to make a submission assuring action against the errant office bearers.
The State alleged that 20,000 sqm land acquired for developing burial grounds for various communities was illegally acquired by the occupants who evaded taxes and possessed no legal documentation to support their claims.
