Despite various orders and directives by the Supreme Court, the Goa Government has intentionally failed to demolish and clear roadside illegal religious structures.
This wilful attitude of the administration of conveniently and selectively keeping Court orders in cold storage is deplorable.
The SC in September 2009 while ordering the demolition of all roadside religious structures had directed that no unauthorized construction shall be permitted in the name of temple, church, mosque or gurdwara on public streets or, public places.
But we see them continuing to mushroom across the State. Further the SC in 2011 restrained state governments from granting permission to install statues or erect any structure on public roads, pavements and sideways and other public utility places.
Concrete steps must be taken by the state authorities to remove all existing illegal encroachments on the roads and to prevent new structures from being erected alongside the roads which will only add to the existing problem of traffic congestion.
It would be a great achievement for Goa government in this 60th year of Goa’s Liberation, if the State is freed of all illegal and unauthorized religious structures alongside the roads and in public places.
