22 Sep 2020  |   05:31am IST

Land reclaimed by MPT ‘belongs to Goa’: Rev Minister refutes MPT claim over almost 6 lakh sq metres reclaimed from Zuari

DHIRAJ HARMALKAR

VASCO: The Goa government has, for the first time outside the Assembly, strongly reiterated its stand that the almost six lakhs of land the Port has reclaimed from the Zuari river belongs to the Goa government. While the issue has been pending with the Sub Divisional Magistrate Mormugao, with the MPT asking for survey numbers from the government and yet claiming that the land is theirs, it is clear that the Goa government is not going to accept the MPT’s stand on ownership.

Herald in an email to the Revenue Minister asked: “What is your reaction to the statement of the Dy Chairman of MPT stating that your stand, ‘that ownership of the land belongs to the state government’, has no merit”? 

To which the Minister, on September 19, in her reply to Herald, stated, “This is not the correct statement as per law. The reclaimed land belongs to the government of Goa.”

In response to the MPT’s claim that ownership of the River Zuari riverine area within its port jurisdiction is vested in it (MPT) by virtue of the port limits notification, the Minister replied, “The ownership on the riverine area as per the Notification of ports jurisdiction as claimed by MPT vis-a-vis the provision of land revenue code, where the ownership rights vests with government of Goa. The said matter has been examined in the past. The Captain of Ports Department is also dealing with the same.”

Herald also asked if the Government was aware that in the resurvey case filed by MPT before the Deputy Collector/SDO Mormugao (Case no: SDO/LRC/RES/04/2017), where MPT has been asking the SDO to include its name as the occupant of the newly surveyed land?

To this Minister Jennifer Monserrate replied, “The government has given its approval for carrying out resurvey of the reclaimed land. While conveying the approval it has been conveyed to the Collector South Goa, that the matter regarding allotment of land be resubmitted to the government for the decision, which makes it clear that the government will decide how to dispose of the reclaimed land.”

Significantly, the MPT has already constructed two coal berths on the land. In addition it has signed lease deeds for the construction of the Nauxim marina

Meanwhile, the minster confirmed that government counsel has been appointed to represent the government in the case lying with the SDO Mormugao.