6.5k sqm reclaimed land given to pvt firm, chief secy told

Panaji: The United Goans Foundation (UGF) has written to the chief secretary and the North Goa collector, alleging that operational rights over approximately 6,500 sqm of reclaimed riverine land have been handed over to a private entity. The NGO has asked for an independent vigilance inquiry into the land transactions, immediate demarcation of govt land within Survey No. 46/10, and recovery of all fees illegally collected.

In the complaint, UGF said that the department of tourism and the Captain of Ports have colluded to “illegally transfer operational control” of riverine land at the Santa Monica Jetty, which actually belongs to the revenue department.

TOI reached out to the department of tourism and CoP for a response, and officials said that they did not wish to comment at this stage.

The complaint centres on a leave and licence agreement signed in July 2021 between the tourism department and Shanta Infratech Pvt Ltd for the operation and maintenance of the Santa Monica Jetty Terminal Building and open jetty areas. More significantly, the complaint alleges that around 6,500 sqm of reclaimed land next to Survey No. 46/10, which was created during the construction of the Atal Setu bridge, is being illegally transferred to the private firm.

According to the UGF’s executive member Dominic Noronha, the leave and licence agreement also allegedly included 9,140 sqm of GTDC-developed parking space, but GTDC was not made party to the agreement.