Tag: Goa

Latest StoriesRegulatory

HC Appoints Officers to Assess Illegal Structures in Goa

PANAJI: The High Court has appointed two nodal officers—the Deputy Director of Municipal Administration and the Extension Officer of the Directorate of Panchayats—to review reports from municipalities and panchayats concerning illegal structures throughout Goa. The appointed officers are tasked with analyzing these reports to ensure compliance with the court’s orders regarding illegal constructions. “The volume of compliance reports from panchayats and municipalities was substantial, prompting the court to seek recommendations for government officers capable of analyzing them. We proposed the Deputy Director of Municipal Administration to assess reports from the CCP and municipalities, and the Extension Officer from the Directorate…

Latest StoriesResidential

Goa CM: Government to Decide on Cuncolim Housing Project

PORVORIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced on Tuesday that the government has not yet made a decision regarding the housing board project on land in Panzorconi within the Cuncolim constituency. He assured that all stakeholders will be consulted before any project is initiated. In a zero-hour mention during the assembly, Opposition leader Yuri Alemao expressed concerns about the revival of the proposal to establish a housing board project at Charam Moddi, Panzorconi. He pointed out that although the land was acquired in the 1990s, the project was shelved due to local opposition. Alemao stated, “This project could significantly disrupt the…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Rainwater Harvesting Required for Large Buildings in Goa

PANAJI: The Goa government has mandated rooftop rainwater harvesting for large residential, commercial, and government buildings, announced Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar in the legislative assembly on Wednesday. Responding to a question posed by BJP’s Krishna Salkar during the ongoing winter session, Shirodkar stated that his department has been working on post-monsoon water harvesting in rivers, nullahs, and streams by constructing dams and bunds. The department is also advocating for rooftop rainwater harvesting in office complexes, schools, and other institutions, in addition to building rainwater harvesting pits to support groundwater recharge. The minister revealed that the state government officially announced…

IndustryLatest Stories

Goa: Town Planning Halts Carambolim Housing Project After Protests

PANAJI: In response to local protests, the town and country planning department issued a show cause notice and stop work order to the Carambolim panchayat on Tuesday. This halts construction of a large housing project that includes residential flats, commercial shops, a swimming pool, and a boundary wall until further notice, as reported by Lisa Monteiro. The department’s notice indicated that during a joint inspection on Monday, villagers raised concerns about the proximity of the proposed building to the existing crematorium, stating it did not comply with regulations. Villagers also highlighted that the planned access roads of 15m and 10m…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Goa Plans New Green Areas in Calangute, Anjuna for Settlements

Representative image PANAJI: Just days after the town and country planning department annulled the conversion of 300,000 sqm in Arambol, the department approved the conversion of eco-sensitive land under Section 39A of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act in Calangute, Para, Anjuna, and Aldona. The department authorized 15 proposals that collectively convert 35,685 sqm of orchards and natural tree cover into settlement zones, predominantly affecting ecologically sensitive areas sought by real estate developers. The TCP board adopted these proposals during its 225th meeting, issuing a relevant gazette notification thereafter. A significant portion of the land identified for conversion exists…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Goa: 300,000 sq meters of forest converted to settlement in Arambol

File Photo PANAJI: Following a central government intervention two years ago that paused the Goa town and country planning (TCP) department’s zoning plan to convert 21% of Pernem’s green space, Arambol is witnessing unrest once again. A substantial hill in Bhatwadi, Arambol, enveloped by a dense private forest spanning 3 lakh sqm, has been reclassified as settlement land. This change threatens approximately 1,000 residents from five wards living at the base of the hill, who are concerned about potential landslides akin to what occurred in Wayanad if the trees are cleared for luxury hotels or villas. Locals protested on Sunday…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Goa’s Panchayat Courts Swamped by 3,228 Illegal Builds

MARGAO: The state’s panchayat judicial system is currently overwhelmed with over 3,200 illegal construction cases. Experts suggest that this reflects a deliberate undermining of local governance in favor of the construction lobby. Official statistics reveal a staggering 2,179 cases are pending before the additional director of panchayats in North Goa, while another 1,049 cases await attention in South Goa. This brings the total backlog to 3,228 cases. From January 2022 onwards, 436 cases have emerged across various levels of the directorate of panchayats—338 are pending before additional directors’ courts, 86 before deputy directors, and 12 before the director of panchayats…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

ED Raid at Models Group; Members Granted Anticipatory Bail

PANAJI: The Merces court has granted interim anticipatory bail to Natalina Vaz and her children, Nathan and Danira Vaz, involved in a land-grabbing case under investigation by the ED. Senior advocate S. Kantak, alongside advocate P. Talaulikar, informed the court that the FIR was filed around 15 years ago, and at that time, the accused had no connections to the construction company nor were they named in the FIR. They argued that the matter is solely a civil dispute and highlighted that they fully cooperated by providing all requested documentation to the ED. The complaint alleges that in 2004, Fr.…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

HC: Goa Government Lacks Accountability on Illegal Constructions

PANAJI: On Monday, the Bombay High Court criticized the Goa government for its lack of accountability while addressing a petition regarding the enforcement of demolition orders for structures on Birch by Romeo Lane. A division bench, consisting of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ashish Chavan, posed critical inquiries that have been on the public’s mind since the tragic incident. “Given there was a demolition order, why was a trade license granted in the first place?” they questioned, noting that it was “very problematic” that the demolition order had remained pending for an extended period at the director of panchayats. They inquired…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

NGT Extends Sand Mining Ban in Goa Rivers Until Next Month

Representative AI image PANAJI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has prolonged the ban on sand mining in Goa’s rivers until January 28, 2026. This decision follows an appeal by the Goa River Sand Protection Network against 12 environmental clearances issued by the state. This extension was prompted by a request from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority for additional time to respond during a December 8 hearing. The NGT’s ruling specifies that the “director of mines and geology shall not permit any mining activity in the area in question until the next hearing date.” The Goa River Sand Protection Network…