Team Herald

MARGAO: The Comunidades of South Goa have vented their anger and frustration over the lack of maintenances of lakes and sluice gates in tenanted comunidade properties. 

At the recent meeting, the South Goa Comunidades have decided to demand back the ownerships of all the sluice gates and lakes from people currently holding them. 

The meeting has decided that the Comunidade commission report would make a case that the sluice gates, lakes and other water bodies on comunidade lands that are currently being used by tenants be returned to comunidades as they can’t be used by the tenants. 

At an earlier meeting, the South Goa Comunidade forum had debated this issue and had decided to find a solution for the same. The Comunidade Forum says that neither the tenants nor the government is the owner of the sluice gates and water bodies on the comunidade land and that the government is only a watchdog.

“Lakes also should be under comunidade; we have to file a case against the tenants’ association if they have changed, defaced or destroyed any of them in their tenanted properties,” said John Filip Monteiro. 

The same has been suggested to the government in the Comunidade Commission report which awaits adoption. 

Concretisation of several lakes and water bodies in eco-sensitive zones have spelled doom for the flora and fauna around. Several lakes in Salcete have become garbage dumps and are in pathetic condition.