PANAJI, Nov 20(TNN): The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) says it has started the process of evicting illegal occupants, and lessess defaulting on payments in several of its properties around the state.

On the cards, GTDC sources say, is a show cause notice to a party running a restaurant at the corporation's premises at Kesarval Springs, Verna. "We are also in the process of taking action against an illegal construction at a GTDC property at Baga. Measures are being initiated through revenue authorities and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA)," GTDC sources said.

"The GTDC is also in the process of identifying several properties where shops and establishments have violated agreements and defaulted in payment of license fees. At Kesarval for instance, there is a violation carried out by a restaurant. The GTDC has appointed an estate officer who is a quasi judicial authority and will initate action under the Public Premises (Eviction of Illegal Occupants, Act)," sources said.

It may be pointed out that the GTDC last Wednesday evicted a private entrepreneur and the lessee of its property at Anjuna who had been operating a venture called Paradiso de Anjuna.

"It was a mistake. The land was used for activities not meant to be run on government-owned land. The GTDC is now mulling on putting the land up for tourism-related activities again. However, this time we have learnt from our mistakes. We will see that the premises is used for family entertainment, and we will put in mechanisms to monitor that it being used for such a purposes," GTDC officials said.

The lessee of that land, Nandan Kudchadkar had failed to pay dues of over 25 lakh, thereby leading the GTDC to seal the premises last week, sources said.

Kudchadkar had taken the GTDC property on lease for nine years, and the agreement was to expire by the end of this month, sources said. However, he failed in paying up dues, thereby leading the corporation to take action against him, sources added.

It is learnt that the total dues accumulated by the lessee amounted to over 45 lakh of which 20 lakh were recovered by the GTDC after much effort.

The corporation had then served a letter of eviction on Kudchadkar. However, Kudchadkar filed an appeal in the district court, who asked him to deposit 25 lakh as a bank guarantee to the GTDC. The lessee had failed to produce the bank guarantee, sources said.