‘Will consider Old Goa illegal building cases by May 30’

Panaji: The Old Goa panchayat is considering the show-cause notices to 76 persons responsible for unauthorised constructions in prohibited areas of protected monuments at Old Goa by May 30, the panchayat told the high court of Bombay at Goa. The notices were issued on Nov 25 last year after a PIL was filed by John Mascarenhas seeking demolition of structures in areas identified as prohibited areas of monuments of national importance.
The panchayat submitted to the high court that the process of considering the response to the show-cause notices is under way and the entire exercise will be completed by May 30. The high court on Tuesday called for a response to a representation made by Mascarenhas with regard to alleged breaches for the Exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier 2024, for which the ASI granted conditional approval to its superintending engineer.
The petition alleges encroachments, structures, constructions, and commercial activities being carried out in the prohibited areas of Se Cathedral, Church and Convent of St Francis of Assisi, Chapel of St Catherine, Chapel of St Cajetan, Viceroy’s Arch, Arch of Adil Shah’s Palace, Bom Jesus Basilica, Chapel of St Francis Xavier and connected buildings, Largo of St Francis Xavier, Largo of St Cajetan together with other minor monuments, Church of St Augustine together with adjacent land, and the remains of St Paul’s College together with adjacent land.
Mascarenhas filed the PIL stating that no action was taken despite several representations made to authorities with regard to the illegal structures. In his PIL, he submitted to the high court 76 complaints obtained under the Right To Information Act from the office of the superintending archaeologist at Old Goa filed by the conservation assistant of the ASI’s Goa circle with the Old Goa PI. He is seeking immediate action against the illegal structures with directions to authorities to restore land to its original state and to stop any commercial activity.