PANJIM, OCT 31
Rubbishing allegations surrounding him for converting Taleigao fields into huge buildings, State Education Minister Babush Monserratte threw challenge on his critique saying that he will resign if anyone can prove that he had purchased even one square meters of land and converted it.
“I am giving an open challenge to all…let one person prove that I brought one square meter of field land and converted it,” Monserratte told in Gram Sabha today morning.
The minister was reacting when one villager Pundalik Raikar alleged that elected representatives are keener towards infrastructural development at the cost of locals. “Taleigao has been always an agricultural land serving the livelihood of many villagers. But now the scenario is different… development is taking toll on the paddy fields of this area,” Raikar stated.
When, Raikar, during the Sabha, asked minister to stop the uncontrolled conversion of paddy field for non agriculture purpose to construct civil projects, Monserratte said that he cannot stop any individual from selling his property.
“If some farmer is selling his field, than I can’t stop him. It is his right to do so,” he said adding that you cannot blame elected representative for that.
The minister also said that he himself does not want that the traditional fields be lost to development.
