PANJIM: In a sensational disclosure, activists have claimed that the Se-Old Goa Panchayat has allotted 21 house number to houses that don’t exist calling them ‘Ghost Houses.’ These properties are later used by non-Goan builders for building illegal structures, thus damaging the ecosystem of the World Heritage area.
Activist Anthony D’Silva said, “Seventeen house numbers are given where there are no structures on the survey numbers. They are extensions of one house number. Additionally there are four other house numbers which have been issued to huts. This too is fraudulent since the owners of the property are paying house tax much more that should be due for the area. This is done so that in future they can claim that there was a much larger structure there.”
“In about three properties, metal containers have been put on the properties,” D’Silva said.
“These containers are mobile. Thatched roofs have been put on the metal containers. These loopholes have been kept for future constructions. These persons have been paying house tax for the last about 15 years. On what grounds are they paying house tax when no houses exist on these properties?” D’Silva questioned.
Activist Anthony D’Silva stated that the village panchayat had issued the ‘ghost house numbers’ in 2005. He appealed to the chief minister to immediately cancel these house numbers since no structures exist on the properties. He also demanded that the CM immediately send the departments concerned to these properties for inspections. “This may be happening all over Goa, but our concern is only about Old Goa since this is a heritage area,” D’Silva said.
When questioned about the ‘ghost house numbers’ Old Goa Village Panchayat Secretary Rupesh Halarnkar said that the show-cause notice had been issued to ‘Shweta Estates’ two days ago. All the 17 house numbers have been issued in the name of ‘Shweta Estates’. When stated that the village panchayat itself has issued the house numbers, Halarnkar reacted by saying that he was not the VP secretary then.
He claimed that the complaint against these ‘ghost house numbers’ was filed by somebody else (not the activists) some three or four days ago. Two more complaints have been filed regarding the issue, Halarnkar claimed. The inspection will be done in another couple of days, the VP secretary disclosed.