Panaji, April 2:
The United Goans Foundation (UGF) has raised serious allegations over what it termed as the illegal allotment and subsequent regularisation of industrial plots by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) in favour of its own employees and their relatives.

In a formal representation submitted to the Advocate General of Goa, UGF has questioned the validity of a 2019 legal opinion that was allegedly relied upon by the GIDC Board to regularise disputed allotments and drop disciplinary proceedings against officials.

According to UGF, the legal opinion has enabled the Board to extend undue benefits to insiders, including promotions to employees who allegedly held plots in the names of family members. The Foundation has claimed that such actions violate provisions of the Goa Industrial Development Act, 1965, service conduct rules applicable to public officials, and established Supreme Court rulings, including the Neera Yadav vs CBI judgment, which prohibits self-dealing in public office.

The Foundation has further alleged misuse of public resources for private gain, a breakdown of accountability within GIDC, and possible institutional bias in the legal opinion used to justify the decisions.

UGF has demanded immediate reconsideration of the Advocate General’s opinion, full disclosure of all plot allotments involving employees and their families, and an independent legal scrutiny of the entire matter.

Issuing a 15-day deadline, the Foundation warned that failure to act would compel it to approach the High Court, initiate proceedings under the Advocates Act, and seek a judicial probe into the alleged irregularities.

Calling the issue a “systematic abuse of public office,” UGF stated that public land meant for industrial development had been cornered by insiders with the support of pliant board members, leading to potential loss to the state exchequer and erosion of public trust.

The Foundation has also vowed to pursue legal action against all officials and board members allegedly involved in the decision-making process.