Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday reiterated his government’s commitment to regularising houses of Goan residents constructed on government or community (communidad) lands, assuring that fear of demolition will soon be a thing of the past.
Speaking at the state-level Independence Day celebrations in Panaji, Sawant said several legislations tabled and passed in the recent Assembly session aim to protect long-standing dwellings. “Original Goans have lived for decades in homes built on government land. They have been under constant fear of litigation and demolition. We have now given them a legal route to secure ownership,” he said.
For households constructed on communidad lands, Sawant explained that a law has been enacted to allow regularisation upon payment of a prescribed fine. He urged opposition parties not to politicise the issue, pointing out that such measures would give Goans rightful ownership of their dwellings. His remarks came against the backdrop of opposition protests during the Assembly session, where they expressed concern over regularising houses on communidad lands.