66 religious structures face axe in Salcete
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MAY 11
It’s official. Around 66 religious structures may face the axe in Salcete taluka as per the Supreme Court directions.
Of the total 66 structures, around 4-5 structures belong to the majority community, while the remaining structures are Crosses and portions of existing Chapels.
This became evident at the high level meeting convened by the deputy collector, Margao Johnson Fernandes as part of the ongoing interaction exercised with representatives and heads of religious bodies and committees.
The deputy collector told Herald after the meeting that the revenue officials had identified around 196 structures as per the Supreme Court directions. However, the figure has now come down to 66 after some of the representatives agreed for relocation of the structures, while others were not coming within the ambit of the court orders.
Fernandes said the committee will make a recommendation to the government on the 66 structures, saying that it is now for the government to take a final decision.
“Today’s meeting was in pursuance of the order of the government to seek the opinion and suggestions of the various committees if any or the religious heads pertaining to the illegal religious structures or unauthorized religious structure which are posing a major hindrance for the free flow of traffic and otherwise,” he said.
Replying to a question, the deputy collector said many people wanted the realignment of the roads in a bid to save the structures taking into account the sentiments involved. “They have also asked for the publication of the final list, asking for more views from the public if any. By and large, they had apprehensions on the fate of the structures after another 20 years even if he government takes a policy of relocating them when again the roads are further widened,” he said, adding “we have taken note of all the suggestions and the same will be forwarded to the government for a decision”.
Commenting on the row that only priests were invited for today’s interaction, the deputy collector said “from the list of structures that we have identified, it is amply clear that the structures existing on the road side are not having committees at all. Some structures, almost 90% of them don’t have committees at all, so the best part was to get to the religious heads and ask them about certain things.”
