As the bulldozers went over the 20 houses built illegally on communidade land in Pedamol, in Shirvoi, of the 146 that are due to be demolished, the first signs of the state acting against the absolute crude brazenness which had seen the transformation of the pristine communidade land at Pedamol into a colony of illegal villas, bought at throwaway prices, in defiance of all laws, was visible.
During the demolition, several people there at the demolition site were from Monte Dongor of Margao as well as some Margao businessmen. They had bought the land at a minuscule cost in cash from the attorney and his relatives. Yes you read that right. Bought in cash from the attorney, according to locals in the know. However, since there were no papers to these lands they had built mortar houses but did not put concrete slabs on their houses.
But there is a human side to it too. As the first homes went under the bulldozers, attention needs to be drawn to the attorney of the Shirvoi communidae and the entire managing committee which allowed this brazen land grab over the years. A mere demolition of illegal homes is pointless unless the official perpetrators who allowed this illegality are not brought to book. And it must be said that many of those who “bought” this land are migrants and some of them may not have scrutinised all papers and depended on middlemen and agents to sell the communidade land to them
In August 2016 and then subsequently, Herald had run a continuous and relentless series on the massive illegal land grab at the Pedamol flat land. The land belongs to the Shirvoi Comunidade and the same was sold part-by-part for monetary gains to outsiders.
As many as 122 structures had mushroomed on the land. The government and the Revenue Department had decided to clear 100 out of the 122 structures but the final count now stands at 146.
The issue of encroachment on communidades with the assault on the Serula communidade land leading the way, has been raised in the Assembly on several occasions. Encroachments in Colvale and Tivim have often been raised along with those in Sirvoi.
The rot is widespread. The Attorney of Margao Comunidade had once lamented that the communidades cannot do anything about illegal houses on comunidade lands as their hands are tied due to no support from the administration.
“As attorneys we can do nothing without the backing and support of the Administrator and how can we get any support from an officer who is changed every three months and also as they are totally ignorant about the Code of Communidades,” he had told Herald.
The Margao communidade has been fighting against the 115 illegal constructions on its land at Talsanzor with little government backing.
At Monte Hill there are around 150 illegal constructions and no action is forthcoming against any of them.
The Goa government needs to take a land mark decision and introduce specific legislation for the protection of communidade land and create a different structure for its protection. Goa’s communidade lands are the only spaces that should be with the people and not vulnerable pieces of estate up for grabs. This debate has gone for too long. But the biggest irony is the optics of it all. Land meant for village communities for their own use are grabbed and in them are villas and offices, mainly of those from outside Goa.
It’s a shame beyond measure. If the successive governments couldn’t protect community land of Goan people, then who could?
