BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM: Revenue Minister Jose Philip D'Souza yesterday admitted that a total of 151 plots in Mapusa Comunidade alone have been granted to occupants without government approval.
Even worse, although FIRs in these cases have been registered with the police way back in the year 2004, no action or inquiry has been forthcoming so far, agreed the Revenue Minister.
Mapusa MLA Francis D'Souza raised two related queries: he wanted to know whether the government will regularise such plots or claim their possession.
" Do you have the power to transfer the plots?" questioned D'Souza.
Although the Revenue Minister promised to examine these cases and take action before the next Assembly Session, Jose Philip stated that the Revenue Department has the power to transfer such plots after completion of the stipulated ten year period.
On the other hand, Canacona MLA Vijay Pai Khot wanted the Revenue Department to allot plots which are already in possession of people replete with power, water connections, plantations, etc.
He said the concerned Comunidade has agreed to the transfer of these plots and wanted immediate transfer of such plots to the occupiers as decided during the tenure of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar rose to inform that cut off date for transfer of such plots was fixed during his tenure.
Speaker Pratap Singh Rane wanted the Revenue Minister to implement the former policies. Ending the discussion, Jose Philip assured to expedite these cases as early as possible.
