PANAJI
The Goa Legislative Assembly on Friday passed a legislation in the form of 'Diploma' to empower the Administrator of Comunidades to impose restrictive orders on land use.
Under this new legislation which replaces an Ordinance issued in October, any authority including the Town Planning Department, PDA, Municipal Corporation, Gram Panchayat or Municipality is not permitted to approve or give no-objection certificates for any land use other than the original purpose.
It contains provisions to impose strict restrictions on the use of comunidade lands and effectively prohibits any deviation from the original purpose.
The bill will replace the Ordinance on the Comunidade Code, enacted last October and was piloted by Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate.
Another government sponsored bill passed by the House on Friday was moved by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant which empowers Assistant Engineers of the PWD to take penal action against any violation of the Goa Water Supply Act as well as any violation of rules or orders thereunder.
The power to impose a fine of Rs 10,000 for domestic water consumption and Rs 50,000 for semi-domestic, commercial and industrial purposes will now vest with the Assistant Engineer instead of the Magistrate.
At present, PWD officials had to wait for the order of the Magistrate to levy a fine but with this new law, action can now be taken sooner.
Another bill The Goa Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Amendment Bill piloted by Health Minister Vishwajit Rane was also passed which provides for revival and extension of provisional registration for clinical establishments and hospitals.
