Porvorim, Mar 19 (TOI): While deputy chief minister and revenue minister Francis D'Souza admitted on the floor of the House, on Thursday, that it is difficult to contain encroachments in communidade lands, opposition leader Pratapsingh Rane warned that Goa will turn into a slum if the government goes ahead with its plan to legalize illegal structures.

Raising the issue during Question Hour, Rane quoted a Supreme Court judgment which he said is applicable to communidade lands. The judgment ruled against regularizing illegal structures.

The government has proposed a legislation to facilitate the regularization of all illegal structures and encroachments prior to February 28, 2014. This legislation is likely to be tabled in the next session of the Legislative Assembly.

Cautioning the government over this legislation he said it will be taken advantage of by MLAs to indulge in vote bank politics. "Don't get votes at the cost of Goa," Rane said.

He also questioned the government over the regional plan, seeking to know when it would be released.
The opposition leader had sought information about the quantum of land available with communidades, pointing out that communidade plots are sold out-and-out illegally.

D'Souza said they have tried to get data about land available with communidades, but concrete data is yet to be collected. The bigger problem, he said, is that most communidades have not held elections for years. Though administrators are appointed in those communidades, their (administrators) role is limited to administrative works. "There is virtually a lawless in communidades, even as their attempt at corrective action is underway," he added.

Not satisfied with the reply, Rane said that the 'revenue department is not functioning properly.'