PANJIM: The high court of Bombay at Goa has declined to interfere with the acquisition of 1.20 lakh sq m of land by the government at Davorlim in South Goa for a multipurpose utility project on a petition filed by Davorlim comunidade challenging the land acquisition.
The comunidade had alleged that the acquisition of the land was not in public interest and the villagers are opposed to it. The petitioner apprehended that the acquisition will affect historical and artistic monuments in the village and also take away the public's right of way. The petitioner expressed fear that the land will be transferred to developers under the garb of acquiring it in the name of the public utility project.
"The government proposes to utilize the land in question for setting up of the facilities for overall cultural, educational and social growth, and such being the object and purpose, we see no reason to interfere with the proposed acquisition," a division bench comprising Justice S C Dharmadhikari and Justice F M Reis held.
While stating that the desire of setting up the centre of technical and vocational education, sports academy and providing facilities for learning and training in classical music are in furtherance of the 'laudable objects and purposes', the court noted thus: "We are sure that the state will bear in mind the sentiments and wishes of the villagers and not permit any activities contrary to these avowed objects. All measures should be taken, so as to avoid the buildings to be constructed from being utilized for purely commercial and profit making ventures."
There is always the fear that government may leave the land without any construction of public utility or facility for some years and then pass it on to builders. But the Court has put a brake for that with the exhortation that "all measures should be taken so as to avoid the buildings to be constructed from being utilized for purely commercial and profit-making ventures".
ReplyDeleteI expect that the government will bear in mind the sentiments and wishes of the villagers and not permit any activities contrary to what they have declared.