PONDA: A component Praveen Usgaonkar has alleged massive land scam in Usgao Comunidade — bigger than the Serula land scam.
Addressing the media on Friday, Usgaonkar alleged that around two lakh square metres of Usgao Comunidade land in Survey No. 380/1 has been encroached on by one Sitaram Gaonkar. The encroacher has fenced the encroached land, dumped huge heap of mud and has constructed rooms thereon.
He also alleged that the components of the comunidade have filed several complaints to various authorities — the president and attorney of Usgao comunidade, the deputy collector, mamlatdar, Administrator of Comunidades, police, Ponda BDO and Usgao Panchayat – but no action has been taken by any of them.
Usgaokar said that the Usgao comunidade has around 214 components and that only few of them know about the encroachment in Survey No. 380/1.
He warned that if no action is taken by the authorities, the components would approach the High Court.
Usgaokar alleged that based on simple NOC issued by the comunidade, the government offices too are issuing NOC for illegal constructions. “This way Usgao Comunidade land has been grabbed by outsiders,” he said.
The components also demanded action by Revenue Minister under whose department the Comunidades come.
Usgaonkar alleged that on an application in April this year, the Usgao Comunidade had allotted Gaonkar around 5000 square metres of land in survey No 380/1, purely on temporary basis for six months for dumping laterite stone for a monthly rent of Rs 2000.
However, he alleged, after completion of six months, the components were shocked to see that the applicant instead of vacating the land has illegally encroached on two lakh square metres and has erected fencing around it; he has also constructed rooms.
Meanwhile, when contacted for his remarks, Usgao Comunidade President Kishore Prabhu said that he would reply to all queries and allegations of the components by coveneing a press conference on Saturday.
And when contacted for his reaction to the allegations, Gautam Gaonkar, son of Sitaram Gaonkar, denied the same. He said that his family is in possession of comunidade NOC, Panchayat NOC and TCP Permission; further they have paid tax to the authorities.
