Tag: Goa

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…

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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…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Mormugao Seals Two Banks Over Rent Defaults

VASCO: On Thursday, the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) sealed the branches of a public sector bank and a private bank due to unpaid rent. “The private bank branch in town and the public sector bank branch at Mangor Hill were sealed for failing to meet their rent obligations,” stated MMC chairperson Girish Borkar to TOI. The private bank owed Rs 6 lakh, while the PSU bank had an outstanding amount of Rs 3 lakh. This recovery effort was led by MMC chief officer Siddhivinayak Naik, in collaboration with municipal engineers and inspectors. “MMC is committed to taking strict measures against…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

ED Seizes 500K+ Sq M of Property in North Goa’s Key Areas

PANAJI: On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Panaji provisionally attached 19 properties covering over five lakh square meters in prime locations across Goa, including Anjuna, Assagao, and Ucassaim. The properties, valued at Rs 1,268.6 crore, were seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, amid an ongoing investigation into alleged land grab activities in the state. “The properties were unlawfully obtained by a group led by Shivshankar Mayekar through the use of forged land title documents, such as ‘aforamento’/allotment certificates, final possession certificates, demarcation certificates, historical sale deeds, gift deeds, and other falsified records,” the ED stated.…

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Bombay HC: PILs on Bhutani project in Sancoale unfounded

PANAJI: The Bombay High Court has dismissed public interest litigations (PILs) questioning the permissions for Bhutani’s Acqua Eden project in Sancoale. The judges, Justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita P Mehta, ruled that the technical objections raised were “unfounded and not substantiated by any concrete material.” While the court acknowledged the PILs were entertained in the interest of the public, it found no merit in the objections against the project. The court observed there were no discrepancies in the slope level computations and noted that the Secretary of the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority verified the use of advanced systems for…

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Goa CZMA: CRZ Structures Must Be Contained for Mundkar Houses

Representative AI image PANAJI: The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has mandated the demolition of a house that was illegally expanded in the no-development zone along the Sal river in Velim. The authority referenced the CRZ Notification of 1991, highlighting its ‘doctrine of containment,’ which allows for toleration of existing structures but prohibits any extension beyond their original dimensions. The GCZMA noted that the original structure, a mundkarial house, was no longer intact, having been entirely rebuilt with extensions both horizontally and vertically. They asserted that, due to these modifications, the authority deemed the structure in violation of regulations…