During the ongoing Assembly session, the Goa government faced criticism over the large amount of public money spent on legal fees. These payments were made to lawyers, many of whom are from outside the State, to defend controversial real estate-related cases. In response, the government said that the money spent on legal fees was only a small percentage of the overall revenue earned from related activities. However, Goans should look at the issue more closely.
First, there is the long-term cost to Goa’s environment. Public money is being used to defend policies that may lead to permanent damage to land, water bodies, forests and air quality. Such damage also affects water availability and the quality of life of local residents, costs that cannot easily be measured in financial terms.
Second, there are widespread concerns about the influence of money in the real estate sector. It is often alleged that large sums of unaccounted money circulate in land and property dealings, creating pressure on those in power to support certain decisions and defend them in court when citizens raise objections. This raises serious questions about transparency and accountability.
Given this situation, the payment of high legal fees by the Goa government deserves public scrutiny. If legal cases are necessary, priority should be given to competent local lawyers instead of routinely engaging expensive lawyers from outside the State.
