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The government has formed a committee to address land acquisition and the rehabilitation of slum dwellers at Moti Dongor, Margao. Led by the director of municipal administration, the panel includes officials from key departments and will explore rehabilitation solutions through government schemes or public-private partnerships. The committee has a two-month tenure and will meet biweekly to assess land requirements, determine rates, and draft a settlement plan. The issue dates back to 2013 when authorities ordered the demolition of 116 illegal structures, but legal disputes have stalled any progress. With the committee now in place, the government aims to finally resolve this long-standing issue.
The government has set up a committee to address land acquisition and the rehabilitation of slum dwellers at Moti Dongor in Margao. The panel, chaired by the director of municipal administration, includes key officials from various departments to develop a structured rehabilitation plan. The committee comprises the deputy collector and sub-divisional magistrate of Salcete, the inspector of survey and land records of Salcete, the municipal engineer of Margao Municipal Council, and the deputy collector of South Goa. Additionally, the senior project engineer of the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) has been designated as the member secretary. Advertisement
The primary responsibilities of the committee include assessing land acquisition needs, identifying rehabilitation solutions through public-private partnerships or government schemes, and formulating a viable settlement plan. It will also determine minimum land rates and the total area required for the project. The committee has been given an initial two-month tenure and will conduct biweekly meetings to track progress. As per the order signed by Undersecretary (Revenue-I) Vrushika Kauthankar, the chairperson will submit the committee's findings to the revenue department, which will then forward the recommendations to the government and the advocate general.
The issue of slum settlements at Moti Dongor has been entangled in legal battles for over a decade. In 2013, the administrator of comunidades had issued demolition orders for 116 illegal structures in Moti Dongor and Tolsanzor. However, affected residents, including 42 encroachers under the Economically Weaker Sections Association, challenged this in court. The Bombay High Court at Goa ruled in 2014 that the petitioners failed to provide proof of construction before 1995.
Efforts to regularise these structures under the comunidades code were previously rejected by the Margao comunidade, a decision later upheld by the South Goa district collector's order in mid-2013. However, despite demolition orders, no action was taken, and the matter has remained unresolved since 2014.
The formation of this committee signals renewed government efforts to resolve the prolonged dispute over illegal settlements at Moti Dongor. While previous attempts to address the issue were hampered by legal challenges and administrative delays, this structured approach-backed by officials from multiple departments-suggests a more coordinated effort towards a solution. The next two months will be crucial in determining whether the committee can successfully pave the way for a practical rehabilitation plan and break the years-long deadlock that has left the fate of these slum dwellers uncertain.
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