Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: The Goa government’s initiative to issue Enabling House Numbers (EHNs) has sparked a heated debate in the Assembly, with concerns raised over its rationale, implementation, and implications for both legal and unauthorized structures across the state.
MLA Premendra Shet on Wednesday questioned the logic behind issuing EHNs instead of regular house numbers, demanding clarity on the criteria and reasoning adopted by the government in allotting temporary house numbers to households across talukas. “People are confused. Why not allot regular house numbers instead of introducing a parallel system?” he asked.
Defending the government’s move, Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho said that the EHN system was devised to bring unauthorized houses—particularly those constructed before 2014—into the formal tax and service delivery framework. “Around 90% of such houses belong to Goans. We’ve issued 33,813 EHNs to help them pay house and garbage taxes and to enable access to power and water connections,” Godinho said, adding that around 8,000–10,000 households are yet to apply.
However, he acknowledged that a recent circular from the Finance Department has delayed the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for electricity and water connections despite EHNs. “We have taken up the matter, and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured relaxation in these rules to remove the bottleneck,” Godinho added.
The minister said that maximum EHNs have been issued in talukas like Bardez, Pernem, and Ponda. “In Pernem alone, 4,610 EHNs have been allotted, followed by 4,678 in Ponda, 2,569 in Sattari, and 3,358 in Salcete,” he said. The minister appealed to those hesitant to come forward and apply, clarifying that EHNs will not be considered a legal validation of new or illegal constructions.
In a significant policy declaration, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that a legislation will soon be introduced to ensure that no more unauthorized constructions are allowed henceforth. “The EHN system has enabled owners to pay taxes and apply for regularization of homes built before 2014. But we will now bring in a law to stop further misuse,” he stated.
Amid rising concerns about EHNs being misused, especially by those converting homes for commercial use or rental purposes, MLA Venzy Viegas demanded a monitoring mechanism. The Chief Minister clarified that EHNs are meant solely for residential purposes and not for commercial exploitation.
Meanwhile, Godinho revealed that several panchayats are reluctant to issue EHNs despite the government’s push. “We will issue a circular tomorrow making it mandatory for all panchayats to issue EHNs. Any sarpanch or panchayat secretary who defies this directive will face action,” he said, cautioning MLAs against intervening in such disciplinary actions.
