Amid the ongo ing controversy over the ownership of the BPS Club land, fresh questions have emerged over the Margao Municipal Council’s exer cise to identify nearly 50 properties owned or part ly owned by the civic body across Margao, Fatorda, Be naulim and Curtorim. A group of citizens has alleged that despite iden tifying the properties and concerns over encroach ments, the council has failed to take action either to reclaim the land or pro ceed against alleged illegal occupants. The verification exercise was initiated during the ten ure of former MMC Chief Of ficer Rohit Kadam following concerns over possible land grabbing and unauthorised occupation of municipal properties.
A special inspec tion committee was formed to verify records, inspect survey details and conduct site visits of civic-owned lands and open spaces. Authorities had feared that several municipal properties, especially in Be naulim and Curtorim, may have been encroached upon over the years without the civic body’s knowledge. Re ports also suggested that several donated or inher ited properties had never undergone comprehensive verification. The committee was head ed by MMC Chairperson Damodar Shirodkar along with councillors Ravindra Naik, Sadanand Naik, Veeraj Naik Bholnekar and Vinod Kotharkar. Former MMC chairperson Savio Coutinho criticised the civic administration, alleging failure to maintain records of municipal assets. “The civic body has failed to maintain the asset regis ter. Nobody knows where the civic body owns land and who has encroached on it. Even after verification, nothing has been done.
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It is shocking to know that even after it was known that the market is owned by the civ ic body and many have ille gally sold shops, the MMC has failed to initiate action,” Coutinho alleged. Reacting to the issue, Shi rodkar said he was present ly unaware of the status of the verification process. “At the moment I have no idea about the issue and will need to check with the officials,” he said. The issue has renewed concerns over protection of municipal properties and the need for a transparent and updated asset man agement system within the civic body.
