Panaji: The Bombay high court issued a notice to art and culture and tribal welfare minister Ramesh Tawadkar and state authorities on a PIL seeking demolition of his allegedly unauthorised bungalow at Poinguinim, Canacona. The matter has been posted for hearing on Oct 28.The PIL, filed by social activist Kashinath Shetye and five others, alleges that the 527sqm bungalow was constructed in 2015 without the requisite statutory permissions. The petitioners have also challenged alleged attempts to regularise the structure.According to the petition, Tawadkar applied to Poinguinim panchayat for a house number on Jan 13, 2025, following which house number EHN/R9/30 was issued on Jan 20, 2025.The petitioners argued that the structure is not eligible for regularisation under Goa Regularisation of Unauthorised Construction Act, 2016, as the law applies to unauthorised constructions existing before Feb 28, 2014.They have further contended that the Act permits regularisation of a personal residential structure only up to 200sqm of built-up area, whereas the bungalow has a built-up area of 527sqm.
