MAPUSA: Over 50 executive committee members from across various comunidades in Goa met to oppose the government’s move to amend the comunidade code in the upcoming assembly session. They are also not in favour of regularization of illegal structures in their land.
The components of the comunidades of Goa will submit a memorandum to the office of Chief Minister in regards to the same.
From the 290 comunidades across Goa, 35 componenets from North Goa and 15 from South Goa attended the meeting held at Mapusa on Monday.
The gathering demanded that the Revenue Minister, Rohan Khaunte before making an amendments to the Code of Comunidades to call for the adjourned statuary convention under Article 652 of the code and place the report submitted by the commission of comunidade. There is a need for deliberation and explanations by the commission as to why these changes mentioned in the report are necessary.
A component from Carambolim comunidade, Wency Viegas highlighted that the after the liberation for the first time the comunidades from North and South Goa gathered to oppose a decision of the government.
“We have come unitedly to show our interest on the commission of the report. We would like to question the Revenue Minister on the amendment of the code of comunidade. You have put this report up in cabinet but do not pass this bill without putting it before all the comunidades. We want to see the reports and the amendment. If he puts this up in the assembly it should not be approved. The land belongs to the people and we do not want them to decide,” he said.
Wency went on to state that they believe in the government and Revenue Minister that they are here to protest the comunidade and keep the code and rules of the comunidade alive.
“We will be submitting a memorandum to the office of the CM and a copy to the Revenue Minister. Do not get this amendment passed or present it as a bill. We want to conserve our land, water and agriculture,” said Wency.
While another member from Olaulim comunidade,
Oldrin Pereira said that we demand with the government to not pass the bill without bringing it to all the comunidades.
“Let us strengthen it. Bring it to the convention and we are there to support you. Regularizing of comunidade land is what we are against. The revenue from the comunidade is looted by the Mamlatdars. Illegal fishing and sand extraction is being carried out in comunidade property with the blessing of collector and mamlatdar across the state,” said Oldrin.
Another component said that the comunidades are exemplary units of self-governing communities that need to be protected and nurtured for the benefit of all man-kind. However since the illegal application of the British laws on the comunidades they have been attacked and violated, their lands usurped in violation of the law resulting in the environmental and social-economic destruction.
