Panaji: After representatives of the Comunidades warned the state government against any move to regularize illegal structures on Comunidade land, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho has clarified that the issue is not new and that the government is working within a legal framework.
Responding to the threat of legal action, including a possible challenge in the Supreme Court, Godinho stated that there exists a “legal window of opportunity” to regularize such houses as per a prior court order. “This matter has come up before, and courts have provided clarity. Similar legal challenges have been dismissed in the past,” he said.
Comunidade bodies have expressed strong opposition to any proposed legislation that seeks to regularize encroachments on their land, arguing that such a move would undermine centuries-old land ownership traditions and legal rights.
However, Minister Godinho maintained that the government’s intention is to address longstanding housing concerns faced by Goan families, many of whom have resided on disputed lands for decades. “We are not taking any decision in haste. Everything will be done within the ambit of the law,” he added.
The statement comes amid growing tension between traditional land-holding bodies and the government over the proposed legislative changes. The issue is expected to feature prominently in the upcoming Assembly session.
