TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: As the harvester rolled into the fields shortly after dawn, these farmers appeared happy to reap the fruit of their hard earned labour.
A wet monsoon spell has only boosted production this season across the State and fields around the Margao-Navelim belt, opposite the Margao Railway Station were no exception.
Incidentally, these paddy fields remain the last vestige of ‘green patches’ left open for agriculture in Margao ~ thanks to these group of farmers determined to pursue a tradition practiced by their ancestors. The farmers, however, sounded a worried lot too as anxiety was writ large on their faces as their plea to get back their fields acquired around a decade ago for a transportation centre has not found favour with successive governments.
A farmer and Navelchea Xetkarancho Ekvott secretary Claudius Dias says these farmers had been cultivating the fields for decades now. We welcome the government’s initiative to promote agriculture by unveiling a host of schemes. But, all these schemes will come to nought if there’s no land available for cultivation”.
Joseph L Vaz, secretary of Navelim Civic and Cosumer Forum said these fields were acquired by the government without taking the farmers into confidence. “The farmers continue to cultivate the fields despite acquisition since they belong to their ancestors. But, they face an uncertain future as the sword of Damocles continues to hang over their heads”.
Vaz reminded that Navelim MLA and Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado had promised in the election manifesto to work to get back the acquired fields, while exuding confidence that the MLA fulfils his promise.
Incidentally, around a year ago, this group of farmers had called on Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar during his visit to Navelim with a plea to return their acquired fields. Parrikar sounded sympathetic to their plea, but maintained that law does not allow returning of acquired land to the owners. As a way out, the Chief Minister had suggested that the farmers could enter into contract with the government for contract farming. Farmers, however, maintained that there are no clear cut guidelines on the proposal of contract farming, while reiterating their demand to get back their ancestors’ land acquired by the government.
These fields were acquired by the Goa State Urban Development Agency when Digambar Kamat was the Urban Development Minister in the Parrikar government. Around 28,000 sq mts comprising of lush green fields were acquired by the government and it was only when the Digambar Kamat government took the decision to allot 6000-odd sq mts of the acquired land for rehabilitation of those displaced by the Rawanfond junction widening, that farmers joined hands with locals to oppose the conversion of their fields for residential and commercial purposes.
