MARGAO
Hundreds, if not thousands, of illegal and unauthorized houses and structures in the Cuncolim Municipal area may get the legal status, but only after payment of a hefty penalty running into thousands of rupees.
Legal houses on the register of the civic body, however, will be spared of additional house tax as the Council has resolved not to revise
the house tax rates for the
moment.
Days after the civic body gave its stamp of approval for the regularisation of illegal and unauthorised hous
es and structures in the Municipal jurisdiction, it has been decided to impose a hefty penalty of Rs 500 per square metre on houses with roof tiles and Rs 1,000 on structures with concrete slab.
Though the penalty appears on a higher side, the Council said it will help mop up huge revenue for the civic body, running into lakhs of rupees. Ruling Councillor and ex-vice Chairperson Mario Moraes, however, does not think that the rates are on a higher side, especially when people have paid underhand money to many people to turn a blind eye to the illegalities.
"If people are ready to pay thousands of rupees underhand to certain persons to turn a blind eye, we do not think that the Council has erred in working out the penalty structure,"
he said.
When asked whether the rates worked out by the
civic body will make people approach the Municipality to bestow legal status on their structures, Moraes pointed out that Council will simultaneously initiate a survey
of all illegal and unauthorised houses and structures erected in the Municipal jurisdiction without
permission.
"The survey will unearth the number of illegal constructions in the municipal town. Those who apply for regularisation will be legalised upon payment of the penalty, while the axe will fall on the illegal structures," Moraes warned.
Rough estimates worked out by the Municipality revealed that the town plays host to thousands of illegal rooms erected by owners and leased out to the labourers working in the nearby Cuncolim Industrial Estate.
Though the penalty appears on a higher side, the Council said it will help mop up huge revenue for the civic body, running into lakhs of rupees. Ruling Councillor and ex-vice Chairperson Mario Moraes, however, does not think that the rates are on a higher side, especially when people have paid underhand money to many people to turn a blind eye to the illegalities.
"If people are ready to pay thousands of rupees underhand to certain persons to turn a blind eye, we do not think that the Council has erred in working out the penalty structure,"
he said.
When asked whether the rates worked out by the
civic body will make people approach the Municipality to bestow legal status on their structures, Moraes pointed out that Council will simultaneously initiate a survey
of all illegal and unauthorised houses and structures erected in the Municipal jurisdiction without
permission.
"The survey will unearth the number of illegal constructions in the municipal town. Those who apply for regularisation will be legalised upon payment of the penalty, while the axe will fall on the illegal structures," Moraes warned.
Rough estimates worked out by the Municipality revealed that the town plays host to thousands of illegal rooms erected by owners and leased out to the labourers working in the nearby Cuncolim Industrial Estate.
