Tag: Panaji

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.…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

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…

IndustryLatest Stories

Goa to Profit from Sale of Comunidade, Housing Board Land

Representative AI image PANAJI: In response to revenue losses from the sale of plots by comunidades and the Goa Housing Board (GHB), the state government has mandated that comunidades execute conveyance deeds at 50% below the minimum land rates and collect stamp duty based on GHB-determined rates. According to under secretary (revenue-I) Vrushika Kauthankar, “For comunidade land, the minimum land values for areas up to 400sqm in S1 to S4 zones will see a 50% reduction.” Revenue Minister Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate stated that comunidades collect ‘foro’ for plots allotted to beneficiaries over 20 years, generating no revenue for the government.…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Goa ODPs Land to Receive Zoning Certificates from TCP

Representative AI image PANAJI: In a move that will ease concerns for those who transformed their land under outline development plans (ODPs), the town and country planning (TCP) department has resolved to issue zoning certificates for parcels designated as settlements in the Calangute-Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra ODPs, provided they are categorized as settlements in the Regional Plan 2021. In July 2025, the Supreme Court did not grant the TCP department’s request for a stay on a high court ruling regarding the ODPs for Calangute-Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa-Parra. The high court had nullified the government’s ODPs for five villages in June, mandating adherence…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

TCP to Notify on Plans Over 20,000 sq meters: Goa-SEIAA

Representative Image PANAJI: The Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (Goa-SEIAA) has mandated that the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department and the planning and development authorities of North and South Goa must notify the Goa-SEIAA after approving any building plan with a built-up area exceeding 20,000 sqm. This measure aims to facilitate the verification of necessary environmental clearances, as discussed in a recent meeting. The Goa-SEIAA has also stipulated that it must inform the TCP department and the relevant PDA upon the approval of any project exceeding 20,000 sqm in built-up area. This issue came to light during an…

IndustryLatest Stories

South Goa Collector Enforces Tenant Verification Rules

Representative AI image MARGAO: The district magistrate of South Goa, Egna Cleetus, has issued an order mandating that all landlords, hotels, and accommodation providers verify the identities of their tenants and report these details to local police. This order, which takes effect on November 5, is in accordance with section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. It requires verification via government-issued IDs such as Aadhaar cards, passports, and driving licenses, and applies to all types of accommodation including residential properties, hotels, guesthouses, beach shacks, and paying guest facilities throughout the South Goa district. In addition, nationalized banks are…

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Goa Housing Board Approves Legal and IT Departments

PANAJI: The Goa state cabinet has recently approved the establishment of a legal and IT cell within the Goa Housing Board (GHB), which will add 11 new positions to the board. The GHB is a statutory entity created under the Goa, Daman and Diu Housing Board Act of 1968. Its primary goal is to provide affordable housing to the Goan population. In addition, the board implements commercial projects and allocates land to organizations, operating as a self-sustaining body without government grants or assistance. During its meeting, the board authorized the formation of both a legal cell and an IT cell.…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Bombay HC Denies Builder’s Request on Single Judge Hearing

PANAJI: The Bombay High Court has dismissed objections from a builder concerning a single judge’s hearing of a petition by green activist Avertino Miranda regarding unlawful construction in an open area in Porvorim. Miranda challenged the decision of Bardez’s town planner, who retracted its own show cause notices issued to the builder. The High Court affirmed that a single judge could review Miranda’s petition and extended the stay originally granted in December against any further development or construction of the commercial building. Miranda, the owner of a plot in Socorro, argued that the property was subdivided into smaller plots, designating…

InfrastructureLatest Stories

Goa’s Residential Complexes with 24+ Units Must Have STPs

Representative Image PANAJI: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has mandated that any residential complex with 24 or more flats must be equipped with a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). According to the Goa Land Development and Buildings Regulations, 2010, complexes with 50 or more flats are required to have an STP only if they’re not connected to existing sewerage lines. The GSPCB’s decision comes after a comprehensive study on the volume of waste generated by housing complexes. Builders are now required to maintain the STP for three years or until the complex is formally transferred to the housing society.…

Latest StoriesResidential

South Goa Residents Urged to Report Unsafe Buildings

PANAJI: South Goa collector Egna Cleetus has released a public notice asking residents to report any unsafe or dilapidated buildings in the district. Citizens are encouraged to notify the local municipality about any structures that seem unsafe or structurally compromised. If the structure is outside municipal jurisdiction, individuals should contact the relevant block development officer for further action. “Residents are also urged to avoid living in or engaging in any activities in such buildings,” Cleetus stated. “Despite clear risks to life and property, some properties remain occupied for residential or commercial use.” The district administration emphasized that the primary responsibility…