Team Goemkarponn
MARGAO: The land dispute surrounding Hospicio hospital has taken a fresh turn, with the Fabrica of Holy Spirit Church, Margao, seeking legal protection for several religious structures located within the hospital complex before the authorities finalise the property records in favour of the Directorate of Health Services (DHS).
Fr Domingos Noronha, parish priest of Holy Spirit Church and president of the Fabrica, has approached the Court of the Inspector of Survey and Land Records (ISLR), Margao, requesting separate survey numbers for the chapels, convent and associated areas claimed by the Church.
The intervention comes as the DHS seeks confirmation of the entire Chalta No. 4 in its name. Noronha has urged the court to consider the Church’s objections before taking a decision that could cover the religious properties within the larger Hospicio complex.
The structures identified in the application include the chapel containing the tomb of Fr Antonio João de Miranda, a smaller chapel on the north-eastern side, a convent on the south-eastern side and religious structures near the TB Hospital. The Church has also sought separate identification of the surrounding land and access areas associated with these properties.
In his submission, Noronha maintained that the government’s takeover of Hospicio’s hospital operations did not necessarily establish ownership of every structure and movable asset on the premises. He said the historical circumstances and the relevant title and transfer documents needed to be examined to determine the extent of the government’s claim.
The application traces Hospicio’s origins to a charitable religious initiative associated with Fr Miranda, predating the government’s assumption of hospital management. The Fabrica contends that the religious structures and properties used for Church purposes should not automatically be included in a blanket confirmation of government ownership.
Noronha has argued that the presence of multiple structures within a common property description cannot, on its own, settle questions of ownership. He has asked the survey court to consider documentary evidence, the history of the premises and the nature of possession before deciding the matter.
The Church has also requested that records relating to a field inspection conducted on October 16, 2026, be taken on record. Noronha stated that the inspection identified the religious structures and adjoining areas claimed by the Fabrica.
The application specifically asserts that the properties fall within PT Sheet No. 190, Chalta No. 4, and have remained in the Church’s open and uninterrupted possession. The Fabrica claims these areas as its own property or as land held for religious purposes.
The dispute now places the identification and ownership of the religious structures at the centre of the survey proceedings, with the Church seeking to ensure that its claims are examined separately from the wider Hospicio property claim.
