COMMUNIDADE LAND GRABBING BY GOVT FIGURES IN THE ASSEMBLY

PANJIM: The issue of ‘haphazard’ land acquisition by government for various purposes and the failure of the authorities to check mass land grabbing allegedly by people in connivance with the managements of the communidades figured prominently during discussion on demands for revenue, settlement and land records, civil supplies etc in the state legislative assembly on Wednesday.

Opening the discussions on the demands on the seventh day, Mapusa MLA, Mr Francisco D’Souza told the House that there have been cases where the land acquisition has been ‘selective’ and that there have been cases wherein the ‘authorities’ went on threatening the owners to acquire their lands if they did not agree to sell the same to them. He also demanded that adequate compensation be paid for the acquired land.

Dealing on the issue of mundkarial cases, Mr D’Souza told the House that the cases have gone on without being settled for decades and that it was necessary that government sets a sunset clause to dispose them off and if necessary appoint more personnel to deal with the cases.

Deputy speaker and Cortalim MLA, Mr Mauvin Godinho raised the issue of illegal constructions in communidade lands and also in the private properties in the state and the failure of the authorities to take action against such illegalities. He also said that the government has also been losing a lot of income in absence of action against these illegalities.

Stating that the communidade committees themselves were conniving with the land grabbers he said that the government should rather aim at giving land to the common man in need for a fee giving him the right to land and stop the illegalities.

Mr Godinho also raised the issue of central agencies like the navy and Mormugao Port Trust refusing to co-operate with the state authorities and their refusal to hand over land for state projects, besides the expansion of Dabolim airport.

The issue of illegal constructions on communidade lands was also raised by Mr Damodar Naik, Fatorda MLA, who also told the House that that over 12 crore square metres of land has been illegally occupied by people in the state. He also raised the issue of government projects coming up in fertile fields, even as he pointed out ‘manipulation’ or ‘gross errors’ in the land records.

Mr Naik also raised the issue of places of worship, that have been multiplying along the roads in the state and despite Supreme Court order no action has been taken against these illegal structures, which often have been causes of accident. At this juncture the Speaker, Mr Pratapsing Rane said that the officers were afraid of retribution by the devils.

Mr Naik raised the issue of scrap yards and urged the government to take steps to regulate them.  Raising the issue of Kumeri cultivators, Mr Ramesh Tawadkar, Poinguinnim MLA said that the government should set a time frame to give ‘sanads’ to the land holders. Ms Victoria Fernandes, St Cruz MLA, said that the state authorities have failed to fix the revenue rates and collect the land revenue. She also expressed concerns over communidade lands.

Mr Rajesh Patnekar, Bicholim MLA, told the House that many cases were pending before the revenue authorities because of lack of staff and demanded that more staff be provided. He also raised the issue of difficulties in getting the Other Backward Classes certificate from authorities due to stringent procedure and demanded that it be relaxed.

Mr Vasudev Gaonkar, Sanguem MLA raised the issue of inclusion or transfer of Rivona village from Sanguem to Quepem taluka without consulting local people or him and demanded that the village be reverted to Sanguem taluka. Mr Anant Shet, Mayem MLA, raised the issue of custodian property and demanded that necessary changes be made in the law to allow the holders of land to enjoy their rights.

Mr Dilip Parulekar raised the issue of illegalities in communidades and demanded action against erring managing committees. Mr Pratap Gawas, Pale MLA, also raised the issue of communidade and springing up of mining plots on the leased lands. Mr Dayanand Narvekar, Aldona MLA, too raised the issue of communidades and told the government to take action in accordance with the Supreme Court order.