TEAM HERALD
VASCO: About 100 migrants from illegal shanties at Baina beach along with their children in school uniforms protested in front of Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) building objecting to evacuation and demolition notices served by Mormugao deputy collector and Mormugao Mamlatdar.
The migrants claimed that the school academic year is in progress and eviction and demolition will hamper the studies of their children.
The children dressed in uniforms of various schools in Vasco were seen carrying placards with messages like ‘Keep us at home in the rain,’ etc.
Speaking to media, some migrants said they have been staying in the shanties for several years and have paid house tax and have electricity and water connections. They said if they are evicted and if their illegal huts are demolished, then it will hamper the studies of their children, who are studying in the local and government schools. They demanded more time till the end of the academic year to evict them and demolish their huts.
Sources in MMC administrative office told Herald that by paying house tax and having other connections, the huts do not become legal, as the land does not belong to them and the huts have cropped up illegally within CRZ.
When contacted, officials at Mormugao deputy collector’s office said all the migrants staying within CRZ were served notices under CRZ six months back to vacate the illegal huts, but the migrants have failed to adhere to the notices.
Speaking to Herald, Mormugao Mamlatdar Laximikant Desai said he had fixed a hearing of about 57 migrants and had asked them to carry with them all their relevant documents. “Of the 57 migrants, only 12 through their advocates have filed their replies,” stated Desai.
Desai said in their reply, the migrants have stated that they are fishermen and have produced house tax receipts.
When asked whether the migrants have produced any document supporting their claim that they are fishermen, Desai replied in the negative.
It may be recalled that on August 22, the offices of Mormugao deputy collector and the Mormugao Mamlatdar had served eviction and demolition notices to 205 illegal shanties at Baina beach and the hearing was fixed on Monday.
Migrants criticised
Several citizens and authorities from Vasco have criticised the migrants of illegal shanties at Baina beach for protesting along with their children in school uniforms in front of the MMC building on Monday. According to sources, as the children were made to sit along with their parents from 10.30 am and some children fainted and it was only when the leaders of the migrants realised that the children were fainting, that they provided them with some refreshments. A senior citizen, Robert Fernandes, who witnessed the protest, said, “The migrants in order to get public sympathy brought their children dressed in school uniforms despite vacation and it is a violation of the Children’s Right Act. These people will go to any extent to get sympathy from the general public. The human rights groups in Goa and the court should take suo moto action against these migrants and their leaders for using innocent children,” stated Fernandes. Another bystander expressed shock when he saw the children squatting on the footpath in the heavy rains while their leaders rushed to take shelter and others used their umbrellas to protect them from the rain.
