MARGAO, SEPT 11
With the government determined to acquire land admeasuring 1.15 lakh sq mts at Davorlim for the proposed multi-purpose utility project, Davorlim villagers are bracing up for an agitation to protect what they called as the land of their ancestors from acquisition.
Government’s order to the South Goa district Collector earlier this week to acquire the land in question has stirred resentment and protests amongst the villagers. With their sustained objections to the project falling on deaf ears, the villagers now plan to take to the streets and hold protests outside the district Collectorate building. The villagers also plan to convene a special gram Sabha meeting and plan to call on the local MLA and PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao to address their genuine demand.
Says a villager Antoneta, who has been in the forefront in the opposition to the project: “The villagers are fighting to protect the land from acquisition for their children. This is the only open land available in the village. Where will our children and grandchildren go if this land is acquired for government projects not benefiting the villagers”.
Antonetta along her fellow villagers are contending that the Communidade land was preserved and protected by their ancestors for the generations to come. “If the government acquires the piece of land for the multi-utility projects, the villagers will have no where to go”, she asserted.
Davorlim villagers along with the Gram Sabha and Panchayat body had been opposing the project since the government notified Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act to acquire the land last year.
Their pleas, however, went unheeded as evident by the fact that the government in June last notified Section 6 of the Act. That the government is firm in its resolve to acquire the land in question became crystal clear earlier this week when the district Collector was given orders under section 7 of the Land Acquisition Act to acquire the land.
The Davorlim panchayat has rallied behind the villagers in their demand to scrap the land acquisition process. Deputy sarpanch sandeep Kambli said that enough is enough and that the people are now ready to come onto the streets. “Till date, neither the government nor the district Collector have bothered to take the locals into confidence. They have not been explained what multi-utility project is all about and the projects that would come up on the acquired land”, Kambli said.
Like many a villager, the deputy sarpanch said the local MLA should support the local villagers in their battle against the land acquisition proceedings. “The villagers will also call the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat as well to scrap the project”, he added.
Agitated villagers say the government had initially initiated moves to acquire lush green fields for the proposed Kabrastan and has now set its sight on the barren Communidade land for ulterior motives.
