NT Reporter
Panaji
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday directed the Goa Chief Secretary to place on record any guidelines issued to regulate the removal of unauthorised structures near protected monuments.
The High Court said, “The Chief Secretary of Goa to place on record any guidelines if issued in pursuance to letter dated October 15, 2025, issued by the Director General of ASI; these guidelines were required to be issued as a stopgap arrangement under which permission with regard to removal of unauthorised structures in the interregnum.”
The Se Old Goa panchayat has been directed to file an affidavit regarding a stop-work order issued to the private respondents, while the National Monuments Authority has been asked to file its reply affidavit within three weeks.
The court was informed that, pursuant to its
May 6 order, the draft by-laws contemplated under Section 20E of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958, as amended in 2010, have been completed and approved by the National Monuments Authority.
An advocate submitted that the draft by-laws
are required to be placed before both Houses of Parliament and that the process has already been initiated. The court was informed that efforts would be made to place them before Parliament during its next session.
The petition, filed by Glean Cabral and another, raises issues relating to permissions granted by the Competent Authority, the Chief Town Planner (Planning), and construction within the prohibited and regulated areas around centrally protected monuments in Goa.
The division bench was hearing a petition concerning development works, unauthorised construction and permissions granted near protected monuments.
Earlier, the High Court had expressed concern over construction activity near heritage sites, observing that permissions had been granted within the heritage precincts of the Old Goa church complex, where 14 monuments are centrally protected, despite the heritage bye-laws not being in place.
