Navelim farmers protest against govt move to resume work in fields
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, MAY 23
Farmers from Navelim and Rawanfond on Sunday bitterly protested against the government’s decision to resume construction work in the fields opposite the Margao railway station to rehabilitate displaced migrants.
Armed with placards, the farmers shouted slogans against the government not to destroy their livelihood and called upon the Goans to wake up and protect their agricultural land from acquisition and destruction by the government.
President of Navelim Xetkarancho Ekvott D P Pednekar said around 36 families are eking a living on the agricultural fields and lamented that the fields have been illegally acquired by the government to create migrant shanties. “How can the government acquire the fields and hand over the same to the migrants to build houses. The entire area will be converted into a slum”, he warned and reminded that the Chief Minister had promised to the farmers 11 months ago that the fields will not be taken away from them.
A local Pobrina Faleiro questioned the government’s rationale in acquiring the fields of Goans and handing them to the migrants. “This is blatantly illegal. The government should open their eyes. We will cultivate the fields this year too come what may” she vowed and lamented that the police have been deployed in the area to protect the migrants.
Convenor of the Navelim Civic and Consumer Forum Joseph Vaz said the construction activity on the fields is underway when the farmers are bracing up to cultivate the fields.
He reiterated the demand for the return of the fields to the farmers and rehabilitate the displace migrants on barren and unused land instead of forcibly taking away lush green agricultural fields of Goans.
Saying that the government appears hell bent in acquiring on the agricultural fields, he warned that the people of Navelim and across Goa are ready to fight to save their agricultural fields. “This will turn a battle to save Goa. The Chief Minister should listen to the prayers of the farmers and return their fields before the situation goes out of hand”, he warned.
