VASCO: Congress’ Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco in a letter to Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant has informed him about MPT’s assertion on proprietary rights of the riverine land and water area of River Zuari which belongs to the State government.
He has also referred to the Herald special report in this issue.
The copies of official letter to the Chief Minister have also been addressed to the Revenue Minister Jenifer Monserrate and Ports Minister Michael Lobo.
Lourenco said, “I write to bring to your kind notice that for past many years I have been raising the issue to Mormugao Port Trust’s (MPT) expansionist conduct in brazen disregard for the proprietary rights of the State Government over riverine land and water area of River Zuari within their port limits both inside and outside the Legislative Assembly, and highlight the paramount need to prevent MPT from usurping land on Zuari River which legally belongs to the people of Goa State.”
He said, “I have been alerting the Government on MPT’s deceptive attempt to regularise reclaimed land. Local English daily “Herald” has carried an in-depth investigative story in the matter on its September 1, 2020 edition; a clipping is enclosed for your ready reference.”
“I have been saying time and again that our State Government has failed and neglected to protect Goa’s interest and assert its ownership of Zuari River area along with the reclaimed land from River Zuari admeasuring around 5,78,466 square meters” Lourenco added.
He said, “It is sad to note that there is absolutely no seriousness on the part of the State Government’s Revenue Department to put a stop to the signing away of the land to MPT. I am constrained to ask whether the Government is under any pressure or influence of corporates having interests in coal imports at Mormugao Port.”
He mentioned in his letter that the “Herald” story exposes the fact that MPT’s toxic and hazardous coal handling operations are being conducted on reclaimed riverine land actually belonging to the State Government for which MPT is now clandestinely trying to get survey numbers assigned.
Replies to my LAQs in last one year disclose that large tracts of River Zuari riverine land and water area has been deceptively leased by MPT to private players. Sad to say, in spite of my several written communications on this issue, the Government has looked the other way and done nothing to take legal steps to nullify the lease deeds and protect the interests of the Goans. The projects include the environmentally and socially disastrous marina at Nauxim Bay and POL Berth at Vasco Bay beach” he said.
