PANJIM: On the 72nd Revolution Day, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said that the fight against the colonial power in the State is incomplete without redressing the Mayem evacuee property issue.
In his first public function after returning from the US where he underwent treatment, Parrikar said, “The struggle which began 72 years back (in 1946) resulted into the liberation of Goa in 1961 but I feel the fight is yet to be over. The issue of Mayem is a part of this struggle. I am personally working to solve it as soon as possible,” Parrikar assured.
Parrikar referred to the speech by a freedom fighter Chandrakant Pednekar, during the function, in which he had pointed out to the need to free the lands in Mayem from being designated as evacuee property, which is still in the custody of a landlord appointed by the then Portuguese government.
In a bid to provide ownership of right to Mayem villagers, following the enactment of the Goa (Abolition of Proprietorship, Titles and Grants of Lands) Act 2014, applications were received for 1,462 – 1,141 dwelling houses and 321 for cultivation from occupants of the Mayem evacuee property. Of these nearly 70 provisional declarations were issued to occupants. Government was supposed to issue them Sanads, which is yet to be done.
Governor Dr Mridula Sinha, who was the Chief Guest of the function, said the State has made tremendous progress since Liberation in 1961. “Today, people across the country find Goa as a clean, peace loving State,” she said, adding ‘there are some shortcomings and we need to strive to overcome them’.
Sinha also said that Goa’s fight for liberation and sacrifices made by several need to be included in the school syllabus to ensure that future generations are aware about the struggle for liberation.
Speaker Dr Pramod Sawant, Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo, Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma and freedom fighters were amongst those present on the occasion.
