Team Herald
PANJIM: Requesting his intervention on pressing issues of public concern and to ensure justice, transparency, and fair governance the Congress has written a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Requesting an investigation and action on land grabbing, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Vice President Sunil Kawthankar said that the recent land grabs by organised syndicates in Goa have raised serious concerns amongst the
public.
“Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was constituted in June, 2022, had registered over 40 FIRs involving 90 properties demonstrating severity of the problem,” he said.
Kawthankar has requested the PMO to appoint a High Powered Committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge to investigate the said land grab as there are serious lapses which appear to be deliberate by the Goa BJP government headed by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, to protect those involved in the land grabbing. Those found guilty should face appropriate legal action to safeguard the rights and interests of the citizens,” he requested.
Highlighting the issues of rampant land conversion, Kawthankar said that there has been rampant land conversion under the garb of corrections in Goa by TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane, causing permanent destruction of environment and demography of villages and irreversible damage to eco-sensitive areas including hill cutting, cognisance whereof has been taken even by the Hon’ble High Court of Bombay at Goa.
“Goa has never seen such massive amounts of land conversions including conversions of Private Forest lands, in a short span of time when the Regional Plan is not in place for more than a decade which was part of the poll manifesto of BJP in the year 2012. It is necessary that the land conversions in the last 30 months be investigated and in the interim all such conversions which have been carried out and which are in the process of being carried out be put on hold till such inquiry is completed,” Kawthankar requested.
Furthermore, strict guidelines should be enforced, said Kawthankar adding, “This is to ensure that land conversions are not permitted for non-Goan individuals, in order to preserve the State’s cultural and ecological heritage.”
