Team Herald
VALPOI: Calling upon the government to take immediate steps to resolve the Alvara land issue, Sattari farmers on Sunday demanded that the State withdraw amendments brought out in the Land Revenue Code allegedly to allow determination of ‘definitive title’ and regularisation of encroachments in Alvara land.
The Sattari farmers under the banner of Sattari Bhumi Putra Samiti took the decision at a meeting held in Kanekar hall in Valpoi. Around thousands of villagers were present.
Ranjeetsing Rane, President of Sattari Bhumi Putra Samiti said the samiti has passed the resolution to withdraw Alvara land from the Land Revenue Code, scrap the amendments regarding the
‘illegal’ regularisation of land by the Government and added that the samiti would submit the resolution to the Government.
The agitation has gained momentum and has turned into the massive movement as farmers from both Poriem and Valpoi constituencies have joined their hands against Government.
Mustafa Aga, a social worker, said, “For the last 15 days we have covered all the villages and have created the platform to express our problems related to the land. We are the owners of our property and farmers are the Bhumiputra of the land. We dare the Government to touch our land and it should not make such statements which hurt the sentiments of people, who have voted it to power.”
“The amendments brought out in the Land Revenue Code with regards to Alvara Land should be scrapped as it is only to benefit the “land sharks”. This is a step is to generate the revenue by looting the farmers. It is very sad that we have to fight for our own land after 70 years. Portuguese were unable to conquer Sattari for nearly 200 years. If we are capable to fight against Portuguese then we are able to take this movement further as we are the absolute owners of land and no government has the right to decide on this issue by sidelining the people of Sattari,” Vishwesh Prabhu, another social worker, alleged.
“Around 11,000 people own Alvara land and by implementing the Land Revenue Code Portuguese created a mess in Goa. Sattari Bhumi Putra Samiti has strongly objected to Form I & IV, which state that the description of encroacher will not be tolerated,” said Narahari Haldankar, former MLA of Valpoi.
“The Absolute ownership is our demand and we will fight till our last breath to resolve the issue irrespective of any political ideology. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar during the last election campaign had assured us that he will solve the Alvara land matter but so far nothing has been done. We even met the Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte but instead of solving the issue he has made it more complicated through an amendment,” Advocate, Sudhin Marathe claimed.
“The State government has no right to revert the land pertaining to the decree passed by Portuguese citing the examples of few cases. We have to see whether there is any hidden agenda behind the amendment,” Harichandra Gawas, said.
“The Government is least bothered to resolve this issue and our representatives always give excuses that the land belongs to the Forest Department. Now, the panchayat should convene a special gram sabha to discuss the Alvara land issue,” Krishna Majik, a villager demanded.
“There are 3700 cases of Alvara land in Sattari taluka. We want absolute ownership of this land. Alvara issue is very serious and we demand that the government should nominate translator to translate Portuguese document and even set up the commission in Sattari to investigate individual cases,” Advocate Ganpat Gaonkar demanded.
“The amendment brought out in the Land Revenue Code is totally illegal and can be challenged in the High Court. Mining leases and Mokasha land cannot be withdrawn or reverted then why does the government want to revert back our Alvara Land. Our elected representative is insensitive to the issue. People should now fight to gain the ownership right,” says Advocate, Shashikant Joshi.
