PANJIM: INDIA Bloc's North Goa Lok Sabha candidate of the Congress Adv Ramakant Khalap said that Goans could become shareholders of the land in Goa if the government takes the initiative.
“What was the purpose of driving away the Portuguese? Why should a corporation acquire and sell land to outsiders? Why can’t our own people become shareholders of our land? When I had proposed the cyber city project in Mandrem, no land was to be sold,” he said.
Khalap said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had agitated against the meagre compensation for land acquisition. Finally, the government had to change the laws to give three times the market price of the land as compensation, he added.
Coordinator for the North Goa Lok Sabha seat and Aldona MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira urged voters to safeguard the State.
“Our hills are being indiscriminately sold to builders. I have been fighting against this illegality. It is time to save our Goa, this is our duty. We need to do something for our State. They are selling Mhadei river, bringing in coal, railway double tracking, the Tamnar power project to destroy forests, and more. They have become brokers. Just like the East India Company used to run the country during British Rule, today, the government’s MNC friends are running ports, airports, coal business, mobile communications, power, etc,” he said.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar said that since the BJP government came to power in 2012, they are out to sell Goa’s land on a large scale.
“This government wants to turn Goa into a concrete jungle. First they introduced the 16B amendment in the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, 17(2), and then the zoning plan which was fiercely opposed by Pernem locals,” he said.
AAP leader Ramrao Wagh said that the government is cleverly amending certain clauses in the existing laws so that permissions can be given to controversial projects.