Govt to demolish illegal 'farm houses' run commercially
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 16 October 2013 17:53 IST
Goa government has decided to come down heavily on the illegal farm houses spread all over Goa, presumably around 5000, run for commercial purpose, even by demolishing structures.
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar today assured the House that no fresh licenses would be granted for any farm house until inspection of all the farm houses is conducted and action is taken against illegalities.
The drive would begin from Calangute constituency, the hot bed of beach tourism in Goa.
Raising the issue, Goa Vikas Party leader Mickky Pacheco alleged that over 500 such farm houses existed in one Candolim village, which is having swimming pools and palacious bungalows.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo joined Mickky in demanding action against such farm houses by amending the Town and Country Planning Act.
Parrikar assured them to even immediately cut power of such farm houses, for which a special inspection team of town planners would be appointed.
The report in this regard would be submitted in the next Assembly session, announced Parrikar.
The chief minister admitted that large number of farm house owners have flouted all the rules and have built palacious structures with swimming pools when the farm house is meant for agricultural purpose with one small house.
“We may recover all the taxes like infrastructure tax and other commercial taxes from those existing for over 20 years”, Parrikar said, hinting at relaxation for some farm houses.
While St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh pointed out that no definition of farm house is being followed by anybody, Parrikar said the local panchayats and municipalities have turned blind eye towards these illegalities.
FARMHOUSES SHOULD NOT BE ALLOW IN GOA DUE TO FARMHOUSES ARE OCCUPYING HUGE AMOUNT OF LAND OF GOA AND GOANS REMAIN LANDLESS DUE TO THESE FARMHOUSES. FARMHOUSES ARE THE SECOND HOME OF THE RICH, WHEREAS COMMON GOANS FINDS DIFFICULT TO GET FIRST HOME BECAUSE OF THESE FARMHOUSES, WHICH HAS OCCUPIED UNNECESSARY HUGE AMOUNT OF GOA LAND. FARMHOUSES SHOULD BE DEMOLISH AND MAKE PLOTS AND SELL TO THE GOANS. NO FARMHOUSES IN GOA. ONLY PLOTS FOR GOANS ONLY. UTILIZE THESE LAND TO MAKE PLOTS FOR GOANS.