The High Court of Bombay at Goa in its multiple judgments has played the role of a rescuer. Today, this tiny golden Goa is facing a multitude of challenges, especially with the political blessings and bureaucrats neglecting to discharge their official duties. We see a slew of illegal constructions, despite the Panchayat Raj Act, Goa Land Revenue Code, Goa Land Prohibition of Constructions Act, Code of Comunidades, TCP Act and other Acts giving enough teeth to the government machinery. Those who are supposed to discharge these statutory obligations are failing to abide by their duties, and vigilant citizens are compelled to knock on the doors of the judiciary. Even simple administrative matters cannot be solved by the government and only after the High Court pulls them up do the bureaucrats run helter skelter, to carry out their duties. Be it the noise pollution on beaches, illegal constructions, CRZ norm violations, encroachments on comunidade lands or matters involving destruction of the environment, the government is silent and the political rulers too seem least bothered. In fact, the officers who neglect their duties must be imposed heavy penalties by the judiciary, to be recovered from their plush salaries.
