Team Herald
MARGAO: People who may lose land to the ongoing land acquisition at Cortalim were visibly agitated on Wednesday when they were asked to produce title documents at Panjim within 21 days.
This was instructed at the hearing at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex regarding the acquisition of land for widening of National Highway.
Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha sought to allay people’s fears that some of their houses would be demolished and assured them that the government would address everybody’s problem individually.
Alina sought to pacify them by saying that the initial details would have to be ascertained to verify if any house would be affected.
Special Land Acquisition Officer National Highways S P Signapurkar assured the people that no houses would be damaged but admitted that some compound walls would be demolished and compensation would be offered.
Around 34 survey numbers are sought to be acquired from Cortalim under the Land Acquisition of National Highway Act under which market price of Rs 1200 per square metre would be paid. However, some officials also revealed that a few houses that were existing on land that was acquired earlier may have to be demolished.
When the meeting began the crowd informed Signapurkar that they did not receive the questionnaire that enlisted the documents to be brought following which people were asked to submit whatever document they had including Form I & XIV and ascertain how much of their land would be acquired on the map brought by the officials.
The people had various questions including how work could start on the road widening when the land has not even been acquired, while others wanted to know why the acquisition plan was not produced in the panchayat.
