Panaji: The high court has issued notices to central and state authorities over a public interest petition (PIL) filed over encroachments as well as illegal structures, constructions, and commercial activities in prohibited areas of protected monuments in Old Goa.
The notices were issued to the Union culture ministry, the department of archaeology, various Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officers, and North Goa SP, among others.
Advocate Parag Wagle, representing petitioner John Mascarenhas, submitted that the petition is restricted to structures and monuments listed as illegal.
He added that the authorities did not act despite several representations.
Authorities will have to take immediate action as stipulated by Section 20A of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, Wagle said. The group of protected monuments includes Se Cathedral, Basilica of Bom Jesus, and several others in Old Goa.
The petitioner says that he obtained 76 complaints 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. The complaints were also forwarded to the office of the Se Old Goa village panchayat. He is seeking immediate action against the illegal structures in the protected and prohibited areas, directions to authorities to restore the land to its original state, and directions to stop any commercial activity.
Additional govt advocate V Sardessai submitted that the Tiswadi mamlatdar has already taken steps to inquire into the matter and prepare a report. The allegations made in the petition will be looked into before the report is submitted, the high court was told. “Based on the report, we propose to pass further orders. It is also open to the authorities to act in accordance with the law,” stated justices M S Karnik and Valmiki Menezes.
The notices were issued to the Union culture ministry, the department of archaeology, various Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officers, and North Goa SP, among others.
Advocate Parag Wagle, representing petitioner John Mascarenhas, submitted that the petition is restricted to structures and monuments listed as illegal.
He added that the authorities did not act despite several representations.
Authorities will have to take immediate action as stipulated by Section 20A of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, Wagle said. The group of protected monuments includes Se Cathedral, Basilica of Bom Jesus, and several others in Old Goa.
The petitioner says that he obtained 76 complaints 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. The complaints were also forwarded to the office of the Se Old Goa village panchayat. He is seeking immediate action against the illegal structures in the protected and prohibited areas, directions to authorities to restore the land to its original state, and directions to stop any commercial activity.
Additional govt advocate V Sardessai submitted that the Tiswadi mamlatdar has already taken steps to inquire into the matter and prepare a report. The allegations made in the petition will be looked into before the report is submitted, the high court was told. “Based on the report, we propose to pass further orders. It is also open to the authorities to act in accordance with the law,” stated justices M S Karnik and Valmiki Menezes.
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