TCP minister may have to walk the talk to stop mushrooming of illegal structures on Monte Hill

The proposed Amendment to the TCP Act may take some time to fructify. For the moment, the TCP Minister, who also presides over the Health and Urban Development portfolios, may have to walk the talk --  to stop the mushrooming  of illegal structures on the Health department-owned Hospicio property at Monte Hill Pajifond and protect the government land from further encroachments.

Vishwajit Rane’s role has come into play to protect the Monte hillock from encroachments and plotting for the simple reason that he presides over all the three departments “ health, TCP and Urban Development.

Indeed Hospicio-owned land on the Monte hillock is up for grabs, with structures coming up on the fragile hillock and the authorities playing the blame game over their removal. Post-Wayanad landslide, hopes were raised that the unprecedented tragedy in Kerala will act as a wakeup call for the authorities back home to act against the illegal structures on the hillock, more so when Ministers and MLAs shed tears on the floor of the House regarding the issue during the recently concluded Assembly session.

Sadly, there seemed to be no change in the ground reality. On the contrary, both the Health department and the Margao Municipality are involved in a blame game over the demolition of the structures.

That’s not all. There seemed no finality to the complaint lodged by Health deputy Director and Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Rajendra Borkar with the Margao Municipal Council to raze down the illegal structures that have come up on the Hospicio land last year.

Take note, illegal structures had first raised their ugly heads on the Hospicio property at Monte Hill, Pajifond in the run up to the elections for the Margao Municipal Council in 2021. In fact, Salcete mamlatdar Prataprao Gaonkar had on February 24, 2021 razed a number of structures made of bamboos and plastic sheets.

The illegal structures have all resurfaced back on the hillock as evident by the letter written by Deputy Health Director and Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Rajendra Borkar to the Margao Municipal Council last year, but in vain.

Why Vishwajit’s role

is crucial in matter

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s role in securing the Hospicio land and stop the illegal structures on the hillock is considered important for the simple reason that the Margao Municipality coming under his Urban Development department is yet to dispose of the Hospicio complaint against the illegalities on Monte Hill.

In fact, it’s now exactly nine months since Hospicio Medical Superintendent Dr Rajendra Borkar had dashed off a complaint to the Margao Municipal Chief officer on November 20, 2023 drawing attention of the civic body to the mushrooming hutments on the government-owned land.

In his complaint, Dr Borkar stated that the illegal structures in the Hospicio property bearing PT Sheet No. 191 Chalta No 75, near Junta Quarters, Monte Hill, Margao, were demolished on February 24, 2021 by the demolition Squad, Margao have been reconstructed.

He prayed to the Chief Officer to carry out the necessary panchanama to raze down the illegal structures by complying with the codal formalities as per the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968.

In the last nine months, what had been proposed by the Health department for action against the illegalities has not yet been disposed of by the MMC officials.

If sources are to be believed, a joint inspection of the Hospicio property at Monte Hill was conducted in the last nine months, but the action is still not forthcoming for reasons best known to the civic officials.

Senior Hospicio officials in private say they have no idea why no action is forthcoming from the Municipal officials against the encroachments in the Health department property. And, they seemed to have no explanation to offer why the Health department has not knocked the doors of the demolition squad for action instead of approaching the Margao civic body to raze down the illegal structures.