At least two buildings in central Margao are dangerously dilapidated, with neither the government nor the civic body taking action. Landlords can’t be blamed”they receive meager rents, often unpaid, leaving them unable to fund repairs. In a country where human life is undervalued, even when engineers declare structures unsafe, no urgent measures are taken.
Authorities must issue strict notices to landlords: repair the building within a set time or the government will step in”at the owner’s cost. All occupants must be evacuated, forcibly if needed, to prevent tragedy. Once repairs are completed, landlords should regain the right to choose tenants.
If existing laws don’t permit this, as the Margao MLA suggests, the government must promptly obtain court orders. Owners alone can't handle this; the State must act.
Thankfully, no lives have been lost”yet. But even government projects are collapsing due to corruption and poor quality.
Tenancy laws must change. Once a lease ends, eviction should be straightforward, without lengthy court processes. This is standard practice in developed countries, leading to better-maintained buildings, more rental availability, and fairer rents. Here, outdated laws only hurt responsible citizens and worsen urban decay.
