PROTECT & PRESERVE OUR LAND by Mathany Saldanha Brought to you by Anthony Manuel Pinto, Valpoi

This is an article by Mr. Mathany Saldanha
Goa must not give land to central government agencies being privatised, says MATANHY SALDHANA Chief Minister Digambar Kamat should take immediate steps to prevent large tracts of land from being transferred to private corporations in future, whereby neither the government nor the people of Goa will benefit in any way, even as some individuals with vested interests will end up having the last laugh.

In the name of national interest and with the best intentions of the state at heart and mind, the Government of Goa had handed over land to central government agencies like the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC). The Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), on the other hand, took over land that was occupied by the erstwhile colonial Portuguese regime.

In the case of MPT, instead of working in consonance with the state government in the best interest of Goans and the country, it has been functioning as a state within a state, paying scant regard to the laws and rules of this state. Believe it or not, the MPT does not even bother to take the mandatory permissions and licenses from the state authorities when it has to put up constructions. Over and above this, it has the sheer audacity to object to acquisition of land at Velsao for traditional fishermen, on the grounds that the area concerned comes within what they claim is their ‘jurisdiction’. The strange thing is that in fact, the government is fully seized of this matter. It has even been debated at length ad nauseam in the august Legislative Assembly.

However, what is of much greater significance here is the fact that the MPT is on its way to be corporatised, as has already been done with the Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) in Navi Mumbai. If this happens, then the huge tracts of land already in MPT’s possession will pass on to a private corporation thereby denying Goans and even the state government of any control over it. Worse, the enormous tracts of land and sea area that the MPT claims as its ‘jurisdiction’ will now become the fief of the private corporate entity. Therefore, the state government needs to act immediately to ensure that the MPT retains only as much land as is required for its operations.

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) also has a large tract of land in its possession near Betul, which was apparently given to it on lease by the state government. But, under the disinvestment policy of the Government of India, the ONGC is slowly being turned into a private entity. In such a situation, the large tracts of land that were given to the Government of India undertaking will end up being in the possession of a private corporation, which once again is not in the interest of Goa and Goans.

The Navy, too, continues to be on an acquisition spree. The State government is always under pressure to give in to their demand, in the name of national interest. However, when the Navy keeps poking spokes in any activity aimed at the State’s benefit, like the expansion of the Dabolim airport (it is pertinent to note that Dabolim was not a military facility but a civilian airport initially), it is time for the government to begin some hard bargaining with the Navy too, in the interest of its citizens.

The adamant attitude of the Navy is visible to the naked eye at Dabolim already, where the divider along the four lane highway has had to be reduced significantly, as the Naval authorities would not permit the demolition of a compound wall of a grocery store. The Navy apparently has now cast its eyes upon the two islands of Mormugao and wants more land at Bimbvel beach. The state government would do well not to bow down to this demand of the Navy, as these islands can well be developed as a base for the offshore casinos that bring in revenue to the state’s coffers. Besides, the Government of Goa has already given the Anjediv Island to the Navy, without asking for any compensation.

All said and done, Goa is a small state (in fact, it is the country’s smallest state in terms of area). Given our size and the rate at which our population is increasing, we cannot afford to take up a philanthropic attitude in dishing out land to anybody and everybody who seeks it. Therefore, I earnestly the Chief Minister that he should go through any request for land with a fine-tooth comb and, at the same time if possible, review earlier decisions to ensure that only the quantum of required land is retained by these central government agencies.

Permit me to cite the example of Zuari Industries. In the name of industrialisation, they were given large tracts of land in the late ’60s and early ’70s. In fact, they have so much excess land that they have now set up an engineering college campus by using the same land that was given to them to set up their industrial plant. If the same land was to be provided for the engineering college now, the state would have earned some significant revenue. Strangely, no seats are reserved for Goan students in this prestigious college. The obvious question that comes up when one sees the situation is; what benefit do Goa and Goans get from such ventures?

It is in the light of all the above cases that I make this humble request to the Chief Minister, the other Ministers and the MLAs of all parties in the Legislative Assembly. Let us not repeat the mistakes made by us earlier; rather, let us try to rectify them if we can. And, in the future, let us instead be not only judicious but even miserly, while giving our land to any agency.

(The author is a social activist and a former Minister for Tourism, Government of Goa)