PORVORIM: The Goa Regularisation of Unauthorised Construction Act will be amended to bring structures built on land allotted by govt as part of the 20-point programme and other similar schemes under the purview of the Act, chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday.
The chief minister assured the assembly that until the amendment is brought in, unauthorised homes on govt allotted land will not be razed.
Sawant was replying to Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai’s private member’s resolution urging govt to pass an urgent ordinance, circular, or amendment to facilitate the regularisation of houses.
“We brought an act for the regularisation of unauthorised structures on private land and now on the same lines, if govt has allotted any land to anyone, whether 20-point or any other way, to regularise the house, we will bring in an amendment,” said Sawant.
The SC has observed that mere departure from the authorised plan or putting up a construction without sanction does not justify the demolition of the structure.
“The objective of the 20-point programme was to reduce the disparity between the poor and rich. Most of the allocations under this programme were to SC, ST, and OBC communities. I am not saying that illegal homes should be regularised,” said Sardesai as he urged the govt to take “affirmative action to safeguard” the SC, ST, and OBC communities.
While revenue minister Atanasio Monserrate reiterated Sawant’s assurance that an amendment would be brought to protect homes or additional floors that have been constructed on land allotted under the 20-point programme, he said that the authority to do so rests with the local governing bodies, and the town and country planning department.
“It is stated that unauthorised construction under the 20-point programme can be regularised by the local bodies if the same are regularisable under the relevant regulations,” said Monserrate.
While St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar backed the call for the homes to be regularised and not demolished.
