PORVORIM: The Government has revealed that 7,96,92,460 sq mts of government land is granted to 5997 Alvara lease holders in Goa. Satari taluka has the highest number of Alvara leaseholders with 2740 having an area of 3,82,56,650 sq mtrs followed by Sanguem with 1072 leaseholders having an area of 2,23,35,617 sq mts and then Pednem with 688 leaseholders with 1,66,02,415 sq mts. On an average, every leaseholder holds approximately 13,288 sq mts of government land.
The government has not revealed the area held under Alvara lease in Bardez taluka though the LAQ reveals that there exist 83 leases. It is also revealed that a whopping 1,94, 484 sq mts of Alvara land in Mandrem is held by one company Mandrem Hotels Pvt. Ltd
In 2016, the CAG report had revealed that in 104 out of 300 Record of Rights (RORs) of leased lands, the name of private persons was incorrectly shown instead of Government of Goa. The audit had also noticed irregular sale of 11 of lease held lands involving a total area of 88,12,000 sq.mts• In five cases of lease-held lands involving 43,62,000 hectares reverted to Government were found to have been sold to third parties. The CAG had recommended that all leased lands granted under Decree No.3602 of 1917 may be identified and a database created linking lease records with current RORs and survey maps, that RORs need to be modified to indicate Government ownership of these lands and revenue authorities need to be sensitised not to allow mutation of such lands, that the Department should identify reverted lands and update all related records and the premium at the market rate may be considered for granting class-I occupancy.
In spite of the CAG recommendations, there has been no record of class wise list of all Alwara property leaseholders. This was stated in a LAQ by Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco who wanted to know if the properties were being cultivated by the leaseholders.
According to a LAQ reply to Nilesh Cabral, there are 42 applications pending in South Goa and 20 applications pending in North Goa for conversion of Class II Alwara lease to Class I. Class II Alvara leaseholders cannot sell their land whereas Class I Alvara leaseholders are free to sell their land.
The government has been complaining that they cannot afford to acquire land anymore because of the new land acquisition land. However, neither are they holding on to the land they currently own. The Revenue minister defended himself in the LAQ that the “Government is not giving away lakhs of squares meters of Government land to leaseholder”. However, there have been reports where real estate investors are funding Class II Alvara leaseholders to convert their lease to Class I and then have it regularised. The real-estate investor then purchases the land from the leaseholder.
Government’s excuse for not taking back their land
The Government by understanding the demand of the Alvara holder has carried out an amendment in the Land Revenue Code providing for confirmation of title given to people under the Decree No. 3602, if the person was given definitive title as per the said Decree. Further, the occupant to whom the lease hold right have been given under the said Decree have been asked to get their grant regularized as per the said amendment. Under provision of section 24 (4) the powers have been given to Government to reclassify occupancy Class-II land to occupancy Class-I.
