This should certainly light up the faces of the beleaguered farmers from Navelim battling successive governments in their resolve to save their agricultural fields admeasuring 29,0000 sq mts from being turned into a concrete jungle. A second bus stand in the commercial capital for South-bound buses planned in the lush green paddy fields, which were forcibly acquired from the farmers, has not found favour with the Transport Department, renewing pleas by the farmers to revert the land of their ancestors back to their possession.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic Guruprasad Mhapne informed that the proposal for a second bus stand for South Goa-bound buses stands rejected by the Transport Department. “The land was acquired by the government for a transportation centre and we had moved a proposal for a second bus stand for Margao, especially for the South-bound buses on the acquired land opposite the Margao Railway Station. The objective behind the proposal was that the South buses need not enter the city and add to the congestion”, DySP Mhapne said.
The development, however, has come as a blessing in disguise for the farmers cultivating the fields since their forcible acquisition by the government around a decade ago. The farmers said the government should not waste any time and instead set in motion the process to revert the acquired land to them for peaceful occupation and cultivation.
Says Secretary, Navelchea Xetkarancho Ekvott, Claudius Dias: “The government should at least now see reason and return the land of our ancestors back to us. Around 40 families are cultivating the paddy fields every year. With the government unveiling schemes and subsidies to boost agricultural production, we see no reason why our fields should not be returned to us at the earliest”.
Claudius and his co-farmers are bracing up for the harvesting operation, but they are also equally aware of the reality that the land in question is yet to officially come in their possession till date. Though the government had dispossessed the farmers of their fields around a decade ago, the farmers continue to till the fields of their ancestors. Their petitions, however, for the return of the fields have not evoked a positive response from the government. Local MLA and Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado, who had promised the return of the fields in his election manifesto, had taken up the issue with the Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, who is believed to have favoured contract farming since the fields are already in government possession after acquisition.
So far, the farmers have successfully opposed the government plan to rehabilitate the displaced traders from the Rawanfond traffic junction in the acquired fields. And, they had also succeeded in foiling attempts made by the RSS to hold a three-day convention on their land in December last, fearing damage to the fields. But, the battle is not over yet for these farmers comprising of around 40 families, as they are hoping against hope that the government will one day see reason and revert the land of their ancestors back in their possession for cultivation.
