NT Reporter
Panaji
The state government has formed an expert committee, headed by senior advocate Ramchandra Ramani, to examine and recommend policy measures for the sustainable use and management of land resources in the state.
The panel will also assess the impact of various developmental and other activities on non-government land.
As per the terms of reference, the panel will look into the issue of irregular land use and unauthorised construction of residential houses on non-government lands. It will evaluate the possibility of regularising such constructions, wherever feasible, in accordance with legal provisions and public interest.
The panel, with the tenure of three months, is also tasked with studying cases where homes have been built and occupied for several years on non-government land without formal ownership rights. Based on its findings, the committee will suggest legal, policy, or administrative steps to confer ownership and regularise such dwellings, subject to eligibility criteria.
Additionally, the committee has been asked to recommend new legislation, propose amendments, or suggest ways to simplify existing procedures to ensure efficient land use and conservation.
The panel may also address other related issues as assigned by the government during its tenure.
According to the order issued by the revenue department, Adv Aires Pinto Furtado, Adv Amrut Ghatwal, Adv Pritam Moraes, Adv Prasad Naik, Siddhi Halarnkar, the director of panchayats; Surendra Naik, joint secretary (revenue); Chandrakant Shetkar, director of settlement and land records; Dr Balaji Shenvy, archivist publication, the department of archives are the members.
Gurudas ST Desai, additional collector-I, collectorate, North is the member secretary of the committee.
