PANAJI: State govt on Thursday decided to extend their tenant verification drive for an additional five days before commencing house visits to identify individuals residing in Goa without proper tenant documentation or face the consequences.
The initiative, which began on Oct 1, was scheduled to conclude on Oct 10. Chief minister Pramod Sawant said that it is necessary to conduct tenant verification as, in some rape and murder cases, migrants are involved.
The primary objective of this drive is to serve as a precautionary measure, to enable Goa police to keep an eye on potential criminal activities. By verifying the credentials of tenants across the state, authorities aim to ensure the safety and security of Goa’s residents and visitors alike.
He said that after the Tenant Verification Bill was passed in the assembly, a massive tenant verification drive was undertaken by Goa police. “Today was the last day (Oct 10) for tenant verification. Those who have not done their tenant verification should do it quickly and willingly. If police find that any person has not completed tenant verification, then that person will be fined,” he said.
The CM said that police will cooperate during the tenant verification for the next five days, and some people are just creating confusion that police are demanding Rs 200 to complete the tenant verification process.
“If someone has given their house on rent, then they should submit the documents of those persons and complete the tenant verification. The drive is in the interest of the person who gives their premises on rent and those who stay in that premises,” he said.
He said that it has come to notice that those staying in a rented place commit theft and are even sometimes involved in murder. “Crimes like murder and rape are committed by those staying in rented places, and that is the reason precautionary steps have been taken,” Sawant said.
The Goa Verification of Tenants Act covers persons who are either staying on rent or for other considerations. The focus is on enhancing the security of citizens, preventing breaches of peace and maintaining public order. The act strengthens the process of collection and verification of tenants to obtain timely information from the security perspective and related matters.
