Margao: “Since the cases were not dealt with or heard properly at Mamlatdars the Agricultural Tenancy Cases were shifted to courts. What is the reason to shift it to the Mamlatdars back now?”. The Margao Communidade stakeholders have vehemently objected to the changes in the act and have called the move retrograde to bring back cases to Mamlatdars and would like a rethink on the matter.
The Margao Communidade President Savio Correia has while speaking to Herald said that he was puzzled by the move of the Government to get the cases back to Mamlatdars from a independent Judicial Authority. “Is the quality of the judgement of the Civil Court inferior when compared to what the Mamlatdars delivered? It is something similar to changing the referee during a ongoing match. If the proposition of Goenkaarponn is the trigger for the change in the justice system for Agricultural Tenancy cases then it makes us wonder who are we? what is Communidade? Communidade is older than the Portuguese and custodians are mostly ethnic Goans. Infact a big chunk of communidade land has been usurped by non Goans and migrants which is a sad part” Savio said.
Revealing how the Agricultural Tenancy Act of 1960 has worked completely contrary what it was desired to do i.e. maintaining the cultivated land in the state. “Goa was booming in Agriculture in 1964-65 but the moment land to the tiller came in 1976 the cultivated land has drastically reduced and has had contrary effects on the cultivated land” said Savio.
Savio also said section 26 of the land code has to be enforced and the land which has been left fallow or changed into concrete structures can be reverted back to communidade or the relevant agencies to and restore it back to its original form.
The Attorney of the Margao Communidade Celestin Noronha supported the statement of the President and said there have been mamlatdars who have declared several people as tenants in lands they never tilled. “There has to be control and the Sunset Clause has to be there. If this continues the communidades will be doomed” said Celestin.
Article 37 of Agricultural Tenancy Act clearly says that if the land is not cultivated for 3 consecutive years then it has to be reverted back to the Government. 90% of the lands have been converted to buildings and other non agro projects.
The Communidades had expereinced a sense of relief after the cases were sent to the Courts instead of the Mamlatdars, but now see the land of Communidades draining if the cases go back to Mamlatdars.
