531 RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES AT PUBLIC PLACES FOUND IN SOUTH GOA

Acting on the direction of the Supreme Court, the district magistrate of South Goa has documented 531 religious structures existing in public places, alongside the roads and in open spaces, in five talukas located in the South Goa district. The South Goa collector, Mr G P Naik told media persons that a related report has been presented to the home department. The documentation work for North Goa is, however, still in progress. The South Goa DM’s report maintains that majority of the religious structures exist in public places, alongside the roads and in open spaces since the pre-Liberation era. The government, however, has no record about the number of such structures existing on its land. Some of the religious structures are also indicated in the survey plans, while the others have gone unrecorded. Most of the religious structures start off as very small roadside constructions, and are often involved in disputes. Some of such structures have also been extended to full-fledged religious houses. The Chief Minister has already directed the officials not to allow any new religious structures in the public places. If such cases are found in the future, the involved officials would be personally held responsible, and an action will be initiated against them, he warned.