Team Herald
PANJIM: Issuing a stern warning to the State government for disobeying its order and failing to demolish 51 illegal structures, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday ordered the razing of the structures in order to restore the low-lying paddy fields to their original state at Socorro, Guirim and Sangolda within the next three months.
Ever since a High Court order in 2021, government officials have found different reasons over the last four years to not comply with it. During Tuesday’s hearing, the government counsel told the Court that the Rs 69 lakh budgetary sanction for demolition of structures and restoration work of the lands was awaited.
During the hearing of a PIL writ petition filed by Harihar Chodankar and Avertino Miranda, the High Court in March 2021, had observed that the North Goa Collector and the Bardez Deputy Collector, Mapusa, had already passed orders under Section 33 (3) of the Goa Land Revenue Code, 1968 on June 27, 2019 and May 26, 2020 respectively, on the alleged unauthorised activities regarding filling up of the paddy fields.
Representing the Comunidade of Serula, Adv Y V Nadkarni, had also submitted that these activities were still on. Government Advocate P Arolkar had assured the Court as well that steps will be taken to implement the order both in letter and spirit.
In August last year, the Court had requested the Administrative Tribunal to dispose of the pending appeals as soon as possible, preferably within six months. The Court had also asked the government authorities to submit the plan of action for implementation of its own orders. But since the government authorities did not initiate any action, the petitioners again approached the Court praying to direct the government authorities to execute the order.